A mother from Arlington, Virginia, developed an app that helps you track only the recalls that affect you. Susan Hogan reports.
What to Know
- Whystle finds relevant safety alerts and recalls based on your profile and alerts you with a whistle.
- At the end of each alert or recall, you get information about who to contact, whether there's a refund and links for more product info.
A mother from Arlington, Virginia, developed an app that helps you track only the recalls that affect you.
Whystle allows you to customize so you won't get alerts about recalls that have no significance to you or your family.
You fill out a profile, including your age, whether you have pets or allergies, and whether you're pregnant. You can also include your children's ages. The app then finds relevant safety alerts and recalls based on your profile, and alerts you with a whistle.
This is especially helpful for those with allergies. If there's a recall related to products with undeclared milk, for example, people with milk allergies will be notified.
"I end every alert with a 'what to do,'" said CEO Lauren Bell, who has a decade of experience working on product safety issues. "Sometimes we get information about salmonella in our children's cereal and you feel terrified. I want people to feel empowered."
At the end of each alert or recall, you get concrete information about whom to contact, whether there's a refund and links for more product information.
Reported by Susan Hogan, produced by Meredith Royster and edited by Perkins Broussard.
