In January 2021, in a period strongly marked by Covid, Razer announced the launch of Zephyrthe “mask” previously known as Project Hazel which, on paper, was certified N95, the American equivalent of our FFP2.
Razer Zephyr, characterized by the brand’s typical RGB lighting and a transparent design, immediately sparked several controversies, only to be rejected by many of the reviewers as expensive and inconvenient to use. As if that wasn’t enough, it looks like the mask was not actually certified, a significant detail that caused serious repercussions for the company.
Tom’s Hardware
The debate over Zephyr’s actual certification arose in January 2022, when the https://twitter.com/RealSexyCyborg/status/1480039336192012291 raised doubts about the failure to certify the device by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
Razer, despite having initially marketed the product under the label of N95 surgical respirator, subsequently distanced itself from its claims, removing specific references to certification from its website and official communications, in response to the increase in criticism and attention from the media and users. The United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC), when questioned on the matter, concluded that the company should have exhibited greater transparency, condemning the company to pay over $1.1 million.
According to the FTC, the company promoted Zephyr as an N95 mask without actually having obtained certification by competent bodies such as the FDA or NIOSH. Furthermore, the regulator highlighted how the company’s rectification occurred only following media pressure and public displeasure, describing this behavior as a belated attempt to correct misleading information spread to consumers.
The FTC fine reflects all proceeds obtained from the sale of Zephyr; the sum will be used for compensate users who had purchased the device believing that it was truly certified. Razer will also have to pay an additional $100,000 fine.
