WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.760 --> 00:00:03.919 You're listening to wake Up Call on demand from KFI 2 00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:10.199 AM six forty KFI and KOST HD two, Los Angeles, 3 00:00:10.240 --> 00:00:15.000 Orange County. It's time for your morning wake up call 4 00:00:23.800 --> 00:00:24.559 and good morning. 5 00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:27.519 It is five o'clock on the dot, and that means 6 00:00:27.559 --> 00:00:30.280 it is time we get up. It's your wake up 7 00:00:30.280 --> 00:00:34.159 call for Friday, December twenty seven, twenty twenty four. We 8 00:00:34.200 --> 00:00:37.200 won't be saying twenty twenty four much longer. I'm Michael 9 00:00:37.240 --> 00:00:40.799 Monks in for Amy King one last time this week. 10 00:00:41.159 --> 00:00:42.679 I hope you're doing well out there. I hope you're 11 00:00:42.719 --> 00:00:45.560 not too lost. I know these days get a little hairy, 12 00:00:46.759 --> 00:00:50.880 especially when Christmas falls on a Wednesday, so inconsiderately, so 13 00:00:50.920 --> 00:00:53.560 it messes up an entire week, and then we have 14 00:00:53.679 --> 00:00:57.600 a midweek holiday next week. Maybe you're lucky and you're 15 00:00:57.640 --> 00:01:01.200 off the entire time. Maybe you're not, and you've been 16 00:01:01.280 --> 00:01:04.719 joining us every day, wish we are grateful for. But 17 00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:08.159 just again, as a reminder, it is Friday, December twenty seven, 18 00:01:08.239 --> 00:01:11.840 twenty twenty four. It will be all day. Hang in there. 19 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:14.079 We're going to talk a bit about the brain fog 20 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:17.000 that happens in these weird couple of weeks every year 21 00:01:17.040 --> 00:01:20.959 around the holidays. We've also got news and interviews all 22 00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:24.040 hour long. Here's what's ahead on wake Up Call and 23 00:01:24.120 --> 00:01:28.519 his historic hotel in downtown LA has been destroyed by fire. 24 00:01:28.599 --> 00:01:31.159 This is the Morrison Hotel. It was made famous in 25 00:01:31.200 --> 00:01:35.359 a nineteen seventy album by The Doors. It was fully 26 00:01:35.400 --> 00:01:38.480 engulfed in flames and what the LAFD classified as a 27 00:01:38.760 --> 00:01:44.959 major emergency yesterday and this story. Investigators are still working 28 00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:48.400 to determine if there is any connection to two severed 29 00:01:48.599 --> 00:01:52.760 human legs and two missing fishermen. The legs have washed 30 00:01:52.799 --> 00:01:56.200 ashore in Palos Verday's estates, near where the men disappeared 31 00:01:56.200 --> 00:01:58.599 this week in strong surf. We've been talking about those 32 00:01:58.640 --> 00:02:01.760 missing fishermen all week. The US Coast Guard had called 33 00:02:01.799 --> 00:02:04.599 off the search, and then this first leg washed up, 34 00:02:04.640 --> 00:02:09.080 and now a second limb has washed up. So investigators 35 00:02:09.080 --> 00:02:11.080 are looking into that and we're going to be monitoring. 36 00:02:11.759 --> 00:02:15.520 And there have been thirty consecutive Mega Million's drawings without 37 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:18.560 a winner, and that means tonight's jackpot is north of 38 00:02:18.599 --> 00:02:22.080 a billion dollars. The one point one to five billion 39 00:02:22.120 --> 00:02:27.080 dollar prize is the ninth largest lottery jackpot in US history, 40 00:02:27.080 --> 00:02:29.719 so As I said yesterday, if your goal was to 41 00:02:29.759 --> 00:02:34.840 become a millionaire or even a billionaire, this year got 42 00:02:34.879 --> 00:02:37.919 another shot, so good luck. Tickets are two bucks not 43 00:02:37.960 --> 00:02:42.039 a bad investment. We'll also talk today about President Trump's 44 00:02:42.280 --> 00:02:46.000 Christmas wish list and how serious he might be about 45 00:02:46.039 --> 00:02:47.800 filling it. It's not full of things he can get 46 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:52.960 at the mall. We're talking big gifts like Canada, the 47 00:02:53.000 --> 00:02:59.719 Panama Canal, Greenland. ABC News National correspondent Steven Portnoy will 48 00:02:59.719 --> 00:03:02.199 be with us to talk about that and how important 49 00:03:02.199 --> 00:03:04.960 are online reviews to you when you're making a decision 50 00:03:05.000 --> 00:03:07.520 to buy something. Probably did a lot of shopping here 51 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:11.560 in the Christmas holiday season. Did you check out reviews 52 00:03:11.639 --> 00:03:14.159 before you pulled the trigger on a product, on a gift? 53 00:03:14.520 --> 00:03:16.319 I know, I rely on them heavily. I even try 54 00:03:16.360 --> 00:03:20.240 to return the favor by writing honest and thoughtful reviews 55 00:03:20.280 --> 00:03:22.879 because I'm so grateful for the reviews I see before 56 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:26.439 I buy something. But there's a rise in fake reviews 57 00:03:26.919 --> 00:03:30.599 and advertisers may be using them to their advantage. ABC 58 00:03:30.639 --> 00:03:33.960 News correspondent Jim Ryan has some signs you can see 59 00:03:34.479 --> 00:03:38.439 to figure out what's real and what isn't and then 60 00:03:38.439 --> 00:03:41.400 We've got the house whisperer here. It is Friday. Dean 61 00:03:41.479 --> 00:03:44.280 Sharp is back, and this time he has equipped with 62 00:03:44.360 --> 00:03:47.520 all the tips you need as you think about your 63 00:03:47.560 --> 00:03:51.919 space in the new year. What's hot, what's not? We'll 64 00:03:51.919 --> 00:03:54.680 talk about it. I'm curious about whether Millennial Gray is 65 00:03:54.719 --> 00:03:57.520 going to last another year? How about you? And then 66 00:03:57.560 --> 00:03:59.599 coming up at six oh five, it is Handle on 67 00:03:59.719 --> 00:04:02.800 the New News again without Bill Handle. We're grateful to 68 00:04:02.840 --> 00:04:05.280 have Wayne Resnick with us at the top of the hour. 69 00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:08.520 I'll be there and I sure hope that you will 70 00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:11.840 be as well. When word first started to spread of 71 00:04:11.840 --> 00:04:14.719 that plane crash this week in Kazakhstan, it seemed like 72 00:04:14.759 --> 00:04:17.800 a tragic accident. The plane hit some birds and had 73 00:04:17.800 --> 00:04:21.000 to make an emergency landing. It went down. Thirty eight 74 00:04:21.040 --> 00:04:25.040 people died, twenty nine lived, But the story has shifted 75 00:04:25.079 --> 00:04:28.879 since ABC News has reported there are early indications that 76 00:04:28.920 --> 00:04:32.120 the plane may have been shot down by our Russian 77 00:04:32.199 --> 00:04:36.160 anti aircraft system. Joining us now from the ABC News 78 00:04:36.199 --> 00:04:39.800 Foreign Desk is correspondent in nez De la Katera and 79 00:04:39.879 --> 00:04:41.879 as thank you so much for being with us this morning. 80 00:04:43.439 --> 00:04:44.480 Hey, thanks for having me. 81 00:04:44.720 --> 00:04:48.480 What are US officials citing as any early evidence or 82 00:04:48.560 --> 00:04:51.399 indicators that this plane may have been shot down. 83 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:56.720 Yes, we have one US official telling ABC News that 84 00:04:56.759 --> 00:05:01.319 the plane was likely shot down by a Russian anti 85 00:05:01.399 --> 00:05:04.519 aircraft system. We also have a high level a Zeri 86 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:06.680 government source telling us the same thing that there's the 87 00:05:06.759 --> 00:05:10.959 new evidence emerging that would point to that hypothesies. We 88 00:05:11.040 --> 00:05:13.279 just don't know at this point though. So the plane 89 00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:16.800 black boxes have been recovered. A commission has been created 90 00:05:16.800 --> 00:05:20.040 to investigate the crash. We know that representatives from Russia, 91 00:05:20.079 --> 00:05:24.120 azer by John Konzakstan are all participating in that investigation, 92 00:05:25.079 --> 00:05:29.279 but we likely won't know for several days just what happened. 93 00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:32.639 We're hearing different things from different countries. So initially there 94 00:05:32.680 --> 00:05:35.439 was a preliminary report from a Kanzakstan that said that 95 00:05:35.480 --> 00:05:37.040 it was a bird strike that would have led to 96 00:05:37.079 --> 00:05:40.199 engine failure. I spoke to an aviation expert yesterday who 97 00:05:40.759 --> 00:05:43.439 runs a company that still advises planes flying into Russia. 98 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:46.279 He says, there's no way that it would have been 99 00:05:46.279 --> 00:05:49.199 a bird strike that caused this crash. That the damage 100 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:52.240 that is visible on the fuselage, you know the pictures 101 00:05:52.279 --> 00:05:56.439 we've seen that they just don't line up with a 102 00:05:56.480 --> 00:05:58.759 bird strike. So his theory is also that it would 103 00:05:58.759 --> 00:06:03.560 have been hit by a Russian anti aircraft system, Russian 104 00:06:03.560 --> 00:06:06.399 air defenses. But again we just don't know at this point. 105 00:06:06.519 --> 00:06:09.079 I mean, there must have been in some unimaginable terror 106 00:06:09.160 --> 00:06:12.879 aboard that airplane. But we also have the rare occasion 107 00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:16.399 where a large plane has gone down and there are survivors. 108 00:06:16.439 --> 00:06:18.800 Have we heard anything from the folks who lived. 109 00:06:20.920 --> 00:06:24.480 Yeah, it's really remarkable. So you know, it's and I 110 00:06:24.480 --> 00:06:27.279 think that's also what makes this plane crash so unique. 111 00:06:27.279 --> 00:06:30.639 We so rarely see survivors. But yeah, the plane was 112 00:06:30.680 --> 00:06:35.240 able to land or crashed in Kazakhstan. It split apart 113 00:06:35.240 --> 00:06:39.040 in two Dozens of people were killed, but there were 114 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:43.319 also dozens of survivors. Some were pulled from the wreckage, 115 00:06:43.399 --> 00:06:45.639 but you could see in the video that some are 116 00:06:45.720 --> 00:06:48.120 just able to walk away from the wreckage. They appear 117 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:52.439 to be unharmed, we know in terms of their conditions. 118 00:06:52.480 --> 00:06:56.160 So there were Russian citizens, There were various citizens. They 119 00:06:56.199 --> 00:06:58.759 have now been for the most part flown of the 120 00:06:58.839 --> 00:07:01.279 Russians taken back to Russia, of the Azeri staking back 121 00:07:01.319 --> 00:07:06.199 to Azerbaijan. There are still six patients at the regional hospital. 122 00:07:06.279 --> 00:07:09.120 So those are people who are in critical condition, who 123 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:12.000 probably aren't doing well enough to be taken home, But 124 00:07:12.040 --> 00:07:14.040 the rest of them have been flown home. 125 00:07:14.639 --> 00:07:18.439 Do we have any understanding about why this plane might 126 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:21.040 have been shot down? I mean, what type of airspace 127 00:07:21.199 --> 00:07:24.319 was it in? What type of geopolitical conflict may have 128 00:07:24.399 --> 00:07:25.040 wandered into. 129 00:07:26.959 --> 00:07:30.160 Yeah, So the theory that some of these experts have 130 00:07:30.519 --> 00:07:32.279 is that we know the plane took off from bach 131 00:07:32.279 --> 00:07:34.319 Whu and ouser by John. It was heading to Grosney 132 00:07:34.360 --> 00:07:38.360 and Shechenya, but it was then diverted, flew over the 133 00:07:38.399 --> 00:07:41.480 cast and sea and crashed in Kazakhstann. So that in 134 00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:43.600 and of itself is bizarre, the fact that it deviated 135 00:07:43.680 --> 00:07:47.319 so far from its original route. The working theory is 136 00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:50.120 that there was a drone attack, a Ukrainian drone attack 137 00:07:50.519 --> 00:07:53.120 on Grosney at the same time as the plane was 138 00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:55.439 in the air. So this aviation expert, I suppose to, 139 00:07:55.600 --> 00:07:58.160 says that that's the case. We don't have that confirmed. 140 00:07:58.160 --> 00:08:00.199 The Ukrainians are not confirming that, but we do. You 141 00:08:00.279 --> 00:08:04.360 know that there had been Ukrainian drone attacks uh in 142 00:08:04.399 --> 00:08:07.319 that area in recent days. I don't know if it 143 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:09.800 was you know, specifically at that same time, on the 144 00:08:09.800 --> 00:08:12.519 same day. But we know that in recent days Russian 145 00:08:12.519 --> 00:08:16.120 air defenses had been activated to shoot down those those 146 00:08:16.199 --> 00:08:19.800 Ukrainian drones. So the theory is that potentially the plane 147 00:08:19.959 --> 00:08:24.519 was you know, mistaken for a for a for a 148 00:08:24.639 --> 00:08:28.639 Ukrainian drone, the Russians accidentally, uh, you know, fired off 149 00:08:28.639 --> 00:08:31.680 their their air defenses. And the question I had was, well, 150 00:08:31.759 --> 00:08:34.600 you know, you think the aviation expert I was speaking 151 00:08:34.600 --> 00:08:36.799 with was talking about a surface to air missile being 152 00:08:36.840 --> 00:08:38.759 to blame here, and so you think missile plane there 153 00:08:38.759 --> 00:08:41.120 would just have been an explosion in the sky. But 154 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:43.519 the way those those missiles often work is that they 155 00:08:43.559 --> 00:08:47.080 detonate close to the target, not necessarily making impact with 156 00:08:47.159 --> 00:08:50.480 the target, so that you know, it would have affected 157 00:08:50.519 --> 00:08:52.679 the plane, damage to the plane, but not necessarily caused 158 00:08:52.679 --> 00:08:54.360 it to blow up in the air. And that's why 159 00:08:54.360 --> 00:08:56.600 it was able to still head over the cast and 160 00:08:56.679 --> 00:08:58.120 seed and over into Kazakstan. 161 00:08:58.320 --> 00:09:00.519 I mean, we know there's a conflict between Russia and 162 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:03.440 Ukraine going on, but there's a couple of other countries 163 00:09:03.559 --> 00:09:06.759 involved here. I mean, the plane comes from Azerbaijan, it 164 00:09:06.799 --> 00:09:10.279 goes down in Kazakhstan. What do we know about what 165 00:09:10.320 --> 00:09:14.080 an incident like this might do to any geopolitical landscapes 166 00:09:14.120 --> 00:09:15.039 in that part of the world. 167 00:09:17.080 --> 00:09:18.519 Yes, I mean, I think Russia is going to have 168 00:09:18.679 --> 00:09:22.840 a lot of questions to answer. You know, we start, 169 00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:24.720 we're seeing reports that the Russians are not going to 170 00:09:24.759 --> 00:09:27.960 be able to kind of touch the black boxes. But 171 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:30.279 we also know that Russia has a lot of influence 172 00:09:30.360 --> 00:09:33.639 in Kazakhstan, and you know, it'll be interesting to see 173 00:09:33.639 --> 00:09:37.720 how all of this kind of impacts Russia's relationship with Kazakhstan, 174 00:09:37.799 --> 00:09:40.360 with Azerbaijan. I think the other big question is whether 175 00:09:40.840 --> 00:09:45.120 airlines continue to fly to these parts. You know, there 176 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:48.080 are very few airlines that still international airlines that still 177 00:09:48.080 --> 00:09:50.879 fly to Russia. Yesterday we were getting worried that the 178 00:09:51.000 --> 00:09:54.679 Israelis so Elao has still been flying to Moscow throughout 179 00:09:54.720 --> 00:09:57.559 the Russia Ukraine War, and they have now suspended their 180 00:09:57.600 --> 00:10:02.200 flights to Russia. They cite developments in rushing the airspace. 181 00:10:02.200 --> 00:10:03.519 So we could be seeing more of that. We could 182 00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:06.480 be seeing more companies deciding it's just not safe to 183 00:10:06.799 --> 00:10:08.000 travel to Russia anymore. 184 00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:11.279 And as de La Kata is ABC News Foreign Desk 185 00:10:11.320 --> 00:10:13.679 correspondent and as thank you so much for being with 186 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:18.480 us this morning. Thank you, and it is now five 187 00:10:18.679 --> 00:10:21.039 twelve in the morning here on your wake up call. 188 00:10:21.080 --> 00:10:23.519 I'm Michael Monks filling in for Amy King, so glad 189 00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:25.519 that you are with us today. Want to let you 190 00:10:25.600 --> 00:10:28.960 know larger than usual waves expected to slam the La 191 00:10:29.039 --> 00:10:32.120 County beaches again today and through the weekend. This was 192 00:10:32.159 --> 00:10:35.799 prompted warnings for people to use caution when wading into 193 00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:38.799 ocean waters do heed those warnings. The National Weather Service 194 00:10:38.840 --> 00:10:43.279 has issued a beach hazard statement warning of potentially treacherous 195 00:10:43.320 --> 00:10:47.440 conditions through Sunday afternoon all along the coast. They say 196 00:10:47.480 --> 00:10:51.480 a surf of four to six feet is expected, mostly 197 00:10:51.600 --> 00:10:54.399 on west facing beaches, and this could lead to what 198 00:10:54.440 --> 00:10:58.240 they call dangerous rip currents and breaking waves. There is 199 00:10:58.279 --> 00:11:01.919 an increased risk of ocean drowning. Rip currents can pull 200 00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:05.320 swimmers and surfers out to sea, and waves can wash 201 00:11:05.360 --> 00:11:09.240 people off beaches and rocks and capsize small boats near 202 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:12.159 the shore. So forecasters have urged people to just stay 203 00:11:12.200 --> 00:11:16.720 out of the water or stay near the staffed lifeguard towers. 204 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:19.639 They also urge people to stay away from rock jetties. 205 00:11:20.120 --> 00:11:22.799 We've also got another ban on indoor and outdoor wood 206 00:11:22.840 --> 00:11:26.320 burning common themes all week long. This is in place 207 00:11:26.360 --> 00:11:28.960 today and much of the Southland because of a forecast 208 00:11:29.000 --> 00:11:31.600 of high air pollution in the area. The residential woodburning 209 00:11:31.639 --> 00:11:34.480 ban will be in effect until at least eleven fifty 210 00:11:34.559 --> 00:11:36.799 nine tonight. We all know the drill by now, and 211 00:11:36.840 --> 00:11:40.120 that's for just about everyone in the South coast air basin, 212 00:11:40.200 --> 00:11:43.720 including the non desert portions of La Riverside and San 213 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:48.120 Bernito Counties, San Bernardino Counties, and all of Orange County. 214 00:11:48.759 --> 00:11:52.200 Authorities are working to determine any potential connection to two 215 00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:54.840 men who went missing while fishing in rough surf off 216 00:11:54.840 --> 00:11:58.679 the shoreline, and the discovery of a limb and a 217 00:11:58.840 --> 00:12:01.320 severed leg that walks to shore on the Palace vera 218 00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:04.240 day's Estates coast. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner will 219 00:12:04.279 --> 00:12:07.919 investigate the remains to assess their possible connection to the 220 00:12:07.960 --> 00:12:12.559 missing voters. A new poll shows most Americans believe health 221 00:12:12.559 --> 00:12:17.279 insurance profits and coverage denials share responsibility for the killing 222 00:12:17.320 --> 00:12:21.720 of United Healthcare CEO. The new poll from NRC at 223 00:12:21.720 --> 00:12:24.600 the University of Chicago finds that about eight in ten 224 00:12:24.679 --> 00:12:27.840 Americans say that the person who committed the killing has 225 00:12:27.919 --> 00:12:31.519 a great deal or a moderate amount of responsibility for 226 00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:36.399 the December fourth shooting of Brian Thompson, but others see differently. 227 00:12:37.279 --> 00:12:41.279 It looks like seven to ten, say, coverage denials or 228 00:12:41.639 --> 00:12:45.799 health insurance profits also bear at least a moderate amount 229 00:12:45.960 --> 00:12:52.000 of responsibility for Thompson's death. Luigi Mangoni is the suspect 230 00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:55.480 in that shooting, and he is seen as a heroic 231 00:12:55.519 --> 00:13:00.519 figure by some people who responded to that poll. Now, 232 00:13:00.559 --> 00:13:06.360 some people often mistake Tahoe as the snowiest place in California. However, 233 00:13:06.879 --> 00:13:09.080 according to a report I've read this morning, the Golden 234 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:13.440 State's snowiest spot is just south of Lassen Peak in 235 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:18.120 Shasta County, specifically around Bumpus Mountain. It averages about forty 236 00:13:18.159 --> 00:13:22.399 five feet of snow each year. The only other nearby 237 00:13:22.480 --> 00:13:25.279 places that get close to that are also around last 238 00:13:25.320 --> 00:13:30.000 And Peak, with about forty feet or more. That's according 239 00:13:30.039 --> 00:13:34.320 to an analysis of snowfall data from the National Weather Service. 240 00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:36.399 Here in southern California, you know, we don't get a 241 00:13:36.399 --> 00:13:39.159 whole lot of snow. We do in some places. So 242 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:44.679 what do you think is the snowiest spot in southern California? Well, 243 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:47.559 according to this report, it's in the San Bernardino National 244 00:13:47.600 --> 00:13:51.879 Forest around poop Out Hill with just under nine feet 245 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:54.639 of snow coming up at the top of the hour 246 00:13:54.679 --> 00:13:57.559 around six oh five. We've got Handle on the news. 247 00:13:57.600 --> 00:14:00.759 Bill Handle and Company still off this week, but we've 248 00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:03.240 got your friend Wayne Resnick filling in. I'll be there 249 00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:05.960 with them and hope you will join us as well. 250 00:14:06.919 --> 00:14:09.399 Are you someone who relies on reviews when you're thinking 251 00:14:09.440 --> 00:14:13.120 about buying something online? Five stars can have a lot 252 00:14:13.159 --> 00:14:16.320 of pull, But how much do we know about these 253 00:14:16.399 --> 00:14:20.799 online strangers sharing their feelings about that washing machine or 254 00:14:20.879 --> 00:14:24.639 treadmill or three quarter zip. There are fake reviews all 255 00:14:24.679 --> 00:14:28.360 over and advertisers hype them anyway, So how are we 256 00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:31.519 supposed to know what is real and what isn't? There 257 00:14:31.559 --> 00:14:36.279 are reportedly ways. ABC News correspondent Jim Ryan joins US 258 00:14:36.279 --> 00:14:38.720 Live Now from Dallas. Good morning to you, Jim. 259 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:42.279 First of miny, let's look at the problem. How pervasive 260 00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:44.960 is it these fake reviews? It's pretty pervasive. There's a 261 00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:49.279 company called the Transparency Company which looks over reviews to 262 00:14:49.320 --> 00:14:52.320 see which ones might be legitimate, which ones might not be. 263 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:57.559 That analyze seventy three million reviews across three different sectors 264 00:14:57.679 --> 00:15:01.879 legal services, medical services, home services, and found that fourteen 265 00:15:01.919 --> 00:15:05.559 percent of the reviews were probably fake. That is, somebody 266 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:09.279 sat down and for a profit, wrote a review for 267 00:15:09.399 --> 00:15:11.519 something and then tossed it out there, it goes into 268 00:15:11.559 --> 00:15:14.279 a clearinghouse. Then retailers can purchase that and put it 269 00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:18.559 up with their product. And the company found also found 270 00:15:18.600 --> 00:15:21.480 that of those seventy three million reviews, two point three 271 00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:27.320 million were probably written partly or entirely by AI. So 272 00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:30.399 you know, you've got these two different things competing out here. 273 00:15:30.519 --> 00:15:33.480 And by the way, the Federal Trade Commission issued a 274 00:15:33.559 --> 00:15:36.679 rule in August banning the sale or purchase of online 275 00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:40.840 reviews and requiring that the reviews be honest and about 276 00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:43.639 the particular product that they're supposed to be about. 277 00:15:44.200 --> 00:15:47.360 So we've got the possibility of fake reviews written by 278 00:15:47.480 --> 00:15:48.600 fake people. 279 00:15:48.919 --> 00:15:52.240 And sometimes no people. Wow, they're written by technology. 280 00:15:52.399 --> 00:15:54.320 Now what do we know about the advertisers and their 281 00:15:54.440 --> 00:15:57.799 knowledge about when they're hyping themselves by using this bed 282 00:15:57.799 --> 00:15:58.240 of lies. 283 00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:00.799 Well, they know they're doing it, you know, and that's 284 00:16:01.080 --> 00:16:03.639 and they're sort of hoping that they don't get caught 285 00:16:03.639 --> 00:16:06.200 because again, the FTC says you're not supposed to be 286 00:16:06.200 --> 00:16:08.960 doing this, and there are fines, there are sanctions for 287 00:16:09.080 --> 00:16:13.759 violations like this, and consumers can report suspected fake reviews 288 00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:17.879 to the FCC through their website. So you know, it's 289 00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:21.559 primarily smaller companies. Larger companies. Amazon doesn't want to get 290 00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:23.559 caught doing this, and so I think it has a 291 00:16:23.679 --> 00:16:26.039 room full of people making sure that the reviews for 292 00:16:26.200 --> 00:16:28.720 the products from the third party vendors are accurate. But 293 00:16:29.080 --> 00:16:33.159 a small company, one with just a few employees, is 294 00:16:33.159 --> 00:16:36.679 probably going to rely more heavily on reviews that it 295 00:16:36.759 --> 00:16:40.840 purchases to kind of beef up its website, its purchases, 296 00:16:40.960 --> 00:16:42.120 or its online presence. 297 00:16:42.440 --> 00:16:45.799 With regulators getting involved like this, that seems to suggest 298 00:16:45.879 --> 00:16:48.399 that reviews are important. I mean, what do we know 299 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:52.320 about consumer reliance on reviews and influencing a purchase. 300 00:16:52.519 --> 00:16:55.440 Well, you know, personally, I know people who won't buy 301 00:16:55.519 --> 00:16:58.399 a product if it has bad reviews online or no reviews, 302 00:16:58.840 --> 00:17:02.120 and so whatever it is they're looking at buying, they're 303 00:17:02.120 --> 00:17:06.039 going to dive into those reviews. The smart consumer is 304 00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:08.799 going to dig down though, if the product you're looking 305 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:11.960 at has six hundred reviews and the first few are 306 00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:15.559 just glowing reviews five stars, five stars, and talking about 307 00:17:15.599 --> 00:17:17.839 how great this thing is. Dig down a bit see 308 00:17:18.279 --> 00:17:22.200 about the not so positive reviews, and then dig deeper 309 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:25.039 to see if down at number three hundred, four hundred, 310 00:17:25.480 --> 00:17:29.519 are those reviews actually about the product that's pictured at 311 00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:33.240 the top of that listing. Sometimes it's not. Sometimes it's 312 00:17:33.279 --> 00:17:35.640 completely random and has nothing at all to do with 313 00:17:35.680 --> 00:17:39.119 that particular product, but it's boosted the number of reviews. 314 00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:43.079 So are there any like strange language uses that you 315 00:17:43.160 --> 00:17:44.160 might be able to pick up on? 316 00:17:44.599 --> 00:17:49.559 Absolutely, And in the same way that some product descriptions 317 00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:54.799 are sort of strangely worded and really not very you know, 318 00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:58.279 they don't seem to be written by an English speaker 319 00:17:58.319 --> 00:18:00.720 at all. But at the same time, so let's say 320 00:18:00.759 --> 00:18:04.519 you go online and you want to buy a vacuum cleaner. Okay, 321 00:18:04.680 --> 00:18:08.200 so you look at reviews for that particular vacuum and 322 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:11.079 the review says, I love this product, this product is 323 00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:13.119 the best product I've ever purchased, and I'd buy this 324 00:18:13.400 --> 00:18:16.920 product again. I recommend this product. You know, it has 325 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:19.240 nothing at all to do with vacuum cleaners. That was 326 00:18:19.279 --> 00:18:22.559 probably written by a person who's writing reviews randomly and 327 00:18:22.599 --> 00:18:25.079 getting paid for that. On the other hand, if the 328 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:29.799 review says this hoover upright vacuum cleaner with the attachments 329 00:18:29.799 --> 00:18:32.200 that you know, allow it to get into the corners, 330 00:18:32.200 --> 00:18:35.559 and it's serial number fourteen three three one, model number 331 00:18:35.599 --> 00:18:36.160 six LG. 332 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:37.559 I love this. 333 00:18:37.680 --> 00:18:40.240 You know that was probably written by Ai right, so 334 00:18:40.759 --> 00:18:43.480 somewhere in the middle, and those two extremes either very 335 00:18:43.559 --> 00:18:49.039 very vague or extremely painfully specific, it's probably not a 336 00:18:49.079 --> 00:18:52.319 real review that some consumer out there having tried the 337 00:18:52.359 --> 00:18:53.079 product posted. 338 00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:57.319 ABC News correspondent Jim Ryan, joining us live from Dallas, 339 00:18:57.359 --> 00:19:00.799 five star report. Jim would recommend thank you very much, 340 00:19:00.920 --> 00:19:04.720 talk to you again soon see you. I'm wondering how 341 00:19:04.759 --> 00:19:09.079 foggy your brain is right now the colder months of December. 342 00:19:09.119 --> 00:19:14.559 You know how it brings darkness more quickly, nights feel longer, 343 00:19:14.599 --> 00:19:18.720 and then we've got all these obligations around family stuff 344 00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:23.440 and shopping and parties, and maybe we're traveling, maybe we're 345 00:19:23.480 --> 00:19:27.799 eating too much junk. All of that adds up to 346 00:19:27.880 --> 00:19:30.839 a little bit of weirdness in your head, especially when 347 00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:33.920 your schedule has disrupted the way that it is. So 348 00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:37.519 some tips that I found online as you cope during 349 00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:40.880 this ongoing two week period where Christmas is landed midweek, 350 00:19:40.920 --> 00:19:45.160 New Year will land midweek. One of the recommition recommendations 351 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:48.119 is to exercise every day. You know that's a regular 352 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:53.000 recommendation for life in general, but exercising thirty to forty 353 00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:55.920 minutes even during these weird periods or when you know 354 00:19:55.960 --> 00:19:59.359 you're going to have some weird meals, it can boost 355 00:19:59.359 --> 00:20:02.519 your energy and your mental clarity. You should also eat 356 00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:06.160 wisely when you can choose protein. This this recommendation says, 357 00:20:06.279 --> 00:20:10.119 take some vitamins, cut back on the sugar, so maybe 358 00:20:10.440 --> 00:20:14.480 save room for just one crazy meal during the holidays. Also, 359 00:20:14.599 --> 00:20:19.000 make sure you're drinking good stuff like water. Reduce the 360 00:20:19.039 --> 00:20:23.160 alcohol intake, caffeine consumption. I've already violated that this morning. 361 00:20:23.160 --> 00:20:25.200 It's five thirty in the morning, I'm three cups in. 362 00:20:26.440 --> 00:20:29.519 And there are some rehydrating alternatives that have been recommended, 363 00:20:29.519 --> 00:20:33.480 like coconut water, even soup. They want you to aim 364 00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:36.759 for one liter of water per twenty kilograms of body 365 00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:40.440 weight every day. And this is the most interesting part 366 00:20:40.680 --> 00:20:44.000 that I see as a recommendation. Start your mornings with 367 00:20:44.200 --> 00:20:49.839 fifteen minutes of sunshine to rejuvenate your mind, mind and 368 00:20:49.960 --> 00:20:52.880 your body now. I don't know how we're supposed to 369 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:55.039 do that when it's so dark as it is this 370 00:20:55.119 --> 00:20:58.480 time of year. So let me and the KFI team 371 00:20:59.400 --> 00:21:01.880 be your sun this morning, and thank you for starting 372 00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:05.759 your day with us. What does your house look like 373 00:21:05.880 --> 00:21:10.240 right now? Do you want to change it? Maybe we 374 00:21:10.279 --> 00:21:13.839 all have those thoughts right do you scrow Zillow looking 375 00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:16.559 for a dream home or maybe picking up some ideas? 376 00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:19.839 Are there some trends that you like, some that you're 377 00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:23.079 tired of? With the new year on the horizon and 378 00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:28.119 getting closer every hour, I know those thoughts are probably intensifying. 379 00:21:28.359 --> 00:21:31.680 So what colors, what design elements, what pieces of furniture 380 00:21:31.720 --> 00:21:34.440 do we need to have? We've got to scoop on 381 00:21:34.519 --> 00:21:38.680 what's hot and what's not. In twenty twenty five with 382 00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:41.240 our friend Dean Sharp, the House Whisper Dean, good morning 383 00:21:41.240 --> 00:21:41.680 to you. 384 00:21:41.960 --> 00:21:43.640 Good morning Michael. How you doing, Budd. 385 00:21:43.720 --> 00:21:46.119 I'm doing well. It's great to have you on as 386 00:21:46.160 --> 00:21:49.200 we end this week. And it's a great topic because 387 00:21:49.680 --> 00:21:53.319 I'm sure the only thing more polarizing than our politics 388 00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:56.960 is what we're supposed to use in our house for decor. 389 00:21:57.720 --> 00:22:00.559 What's the biggest thing we're gonna say goodbye it. Do 390 00:22:00.599 --> 00:22:02.839 you think in this upcoming year? 391 00:22:03.480 --> 00:22:03.640 Uh? 392 00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:07.319 Well, I hope. I hope the biggest thing. Okay, this 393 00:22:07.400 --> 00:22:10.240 is going to sound a little anti climactic, but I 394 00:22:10.279 --> 00:22:16.000 hope the biggest thing that we say goodbye to is trends. 395 00:22:16.480 --> 00:22:18.440 I am not a huge you know, here's the thing 396 00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:23.240 in the design world. It's a big kind of feather 397 00:22:23.400 --> 00:22:26.559 your own nest thing that happens at the end of 398 00:22:26.599 --> 00:22:30.119 every year in which a lot of influencers and home 399 00:22:30.200 --> 00:22:34.680 designers and so called decore experts, you know, they get 400 00:22:34.680 --> 00:22:37.759 on the can and they tell everybody, Hey, this is 401 00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:41.319