WASHINGTON — Beginning in March, consumers will for the first time be able to check a government database that will compile safety complaints about an array of products such as toys and electrical appliances.
The public database, approved Wednesday by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, is almost unprecedented for a government agency.
Companies will be given a brief period to block complaints that are untrue or involve confidential information, but the database appears likely to become the massive equivalent of the Internet bulletin boards on which consumers can post personal safety reviews of products.
That’s a marked change from the previous system in which consumers could file complaints with the commission, but the alleged problem would not be disclosed officially unless the agency ordered a recall.
The 3-2 vote by commissioners to change the system came on party lines, with Democratic members voting to establish the database at , an existing commission website. The commission’s two Republican members, Anne Northup and Nancy Nord, and other critics said the system was open to abuse, including negative posts by competitors.
Starting March 11, consumers can contact the commission either via an online complaint form, or a telephone hotline with complaints about products within its purview — basically everything except cars, tires, food, tobacco, drugs and cosmetics.
Companies that register with the commission will be given access to a Web portal in which they can view complaints against their products and have 10 days to object if the information is false or involves confidential business information.
The decision about whether to honor the objection rests with the commission.
