The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) was especially active in the consumer protection space this past week, including announcing three separate enforcement actions based on earnings claims and three more for Made in USA claims. On the competition side, the FTC took action against noncompete agreements. These stories and more after the jump.
Continue Reading FTC Blog Updates (April 13 – 17, 2026)
A new bill introduced in the California legislature proposes to overhaul the state’s product recall liability framework—and depending on where you sit in the supply chain, the consequences could be far-reaching. Assembly Bill 2462 would amend the state’s Product Recall Safety and Protection Act to redefine who qualifies as a “manufacturer,” broaden the scope of cost-free recall obligations, and dramatically increase penalties for violations. Introduced by Assembly Member Pellerin on February 20, 2026, the bill’s provisions would apply across the consumer product supply chain, touching manufacturers, importers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, and, most notably, brand licensors.
Continue Reading The Hidden Recall Risk in Your Licensing Agreement: What California’s Assembly Bill 2462 Could Mean for Your Business
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently released its Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2026–2030, setting out the agency’s enforcement priorities and operational objectives for the next five years under Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson. The plan reaffirms the FTC’s commitment to vigorously enforcing the nation’s antitrust and consumer protection laws “without fear or favor.” Critically for businesses, the plan returns the phrase “without unduly burdening legitimate business activity” to the agency’s mission statement, signaling a commitment to ending what the agency characterizes as overregulation of businesses that compete fairly and deal honestly with consumers. Despite this business-friendly framing, the plan signals robust enforcement across consumer protection, antitrust, and emerging technology — areas that will directly affect in-house counsel’s compliance planning over the coming years. Expect vigorous consumer protection enforcement — especially in tech, privacy, and children’s online safety. Click here to continue reading the full article.
The FTC has been active across both consumer protection and competition spaces in the past two weeks. In the consumer protection space, the agency announced several proposed settlements with companies and individuals, resolving complaints of alleged deceptive marketing, consumer privacy violations, and false advertising. In the competition space, the FTC and DOJ’s Antitrust Division launched a joint public inquiry into the effectiveness of the updated HSR premerger notification form. Operationally, the FTC was also engaged on several fronts, including testifying before the Joint Economic Committee, submitting its FY 2027 budget request to Congress, and announcing its five-year strategic plan. These stories and more after the jump.
Continue Reading FTC Updates (March 23 – April 3, 2026)
The Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (MoCRA) marked the most significant expansion of FDA’s authority over cosmetics in 80 years — and the agency is putting that authority to work. From the launch of a new adverse event reporting tool to forthcoming rules on fragrance allergens and good manufacturing practices (GMP), FDA is reshaping the regulatory landscape for manufacturers, packers, and distributors of cosmetic and personal care products. Click here to continue reading the full version of this alert.
Register now to join Crowell & Moring for “Between the Lines: What CPSC Enforcement Data Reveals for 2026 and Beyond” to explore the latest regulatory enforcement trends and gain a forward-looking perspective on what 2026 and beyond may bring. The webinar will take place on Thursday, May 7, 2026 from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET.
Continue Reading Register Now! Between the Lines: What CPSC Enforcement Data Reveals for 2026 and Beyond
On Tuesday, March 24, 2026, a New Mexico jury found Meta liable for failing to protect kids from child exploitation on its platforms and ordered the company to pay $375 million in damages for consumer-protection violations. The next day, a California jury found Meta and YouTube liable for platform features that cause children to become addicted to their websites and applications, resulting in mental health distress. Click here to continue reading the full version of this alert.
On March 23, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) updated its Covered List—a list of communications equipment and services deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to U.S. national security or the safety and security of U.S. persons—to include consumer-grade routers produced in a foreign country, absent an exemption granted by the U.S. Departments of War (DoW) or Homeland Security (DHS). This designation effectively prohibits the import of all consumer routers that are not produced in the United States. Click here to continue reading the full version of this alert.
The White House’s National AI Policy Framework sets out seven priorities for Congress to codify into federal law, including the preemption of state AI regulations in favor of a unified national standard; age-assurance requirements and stronger parental controls to protect children; deference to the courts on intellectual property questions arising from AI training on copyrighted material; and support for AI infrastructure development while shielding ratepayers from higher electricity costs. The framework carves out important exceptions to preemption, preserving generally applicable laws that protect children, prevent fraud, and protect consumers. The framework faces an uncertain future, and companies will need to continue to navigate a fragmented and evolving patchwork of state and federal AI regulations. Click here to continue reading the full version of this alert.
The Federal Trade Commission continued its active enforcement posture in late March 2026, with significant developments spanning healthcare, franchise regulation, competition, and consumer financial protection. The Commission distributed more than $10.9 million to consumers harmed by a credit repair pyramid scheme, while the FTC secured a record-breaking franchise settlement. Chairman Ferguson also launched a new Healthcare Task Force to coordinate agency-wide enforcement efforts in the healthcare sector. These stories and more after the jump.
Continue Reading FTC Updates (March 16-20, 2026)