1. What is the value of the CPSC database to consumers, businesses, and the U. S. government?
2. What problems are raised by this database? Why is it so controversial? Why is data quality an issue?
3. Name two entities in the CPSC database and describe some of their attributes.
4. When buying a crib, or other consumer product for your family, would you use this database? Why or why not?

Michele Witte was one of dozens of parents who lost their children because of the defective design of drop- side cribs. In 1997, Witte’s 10-month-old son Tyler perished when the drop- side rail on his crib came loose, partially detached, and then trapped his neck between the rail and the headboard. The cribs are now banned. Witte wishes that a public information resource for consumer complaints had been available prior to the death of her child. Reading other parents’ horror stories might have dissuaded her from purchasing a drop- side crib. In March 2011, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) stood poised to meet the needs of parents like Witte by launching an online data-base, located at www.saferproducts.gov. The database will provide the public with access to the full repository of product safety complaints that it has received. Users can submit these complaints online directly into the database. Visitors to the database will be able to search for products, read other complaints, and view safety warnings issued by the CPSC.