Between its new Non-Compete Rule, warning letters against drug manufacturers, and numerous enforcement actions, the FTC has been making more headlines than usual in recent weeks. The FTC’s activity touches on a number of industries, including healthcare, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, and telecommunications. These stories and more after the jump.Continue Reading FTC Updates (April 22 – May 3, 2024)
The FTC’s enforcement and rulemaking arms have been active this week, with the former resolving actions related to telehealth and student debt relief companies. The agency will also hold a meeting this coming week regarding their much-commented-on proposed noncompete rule. In addition, the House of Representatives advanced a bill to dissolve the Bureau of Competition, the FTC’s division concerned with antitrust issues. These stories and more after the jump.Continue Reading FTC Updates (April 15 – April 19, 2024)
The FTC kept busy through the week of the ABA Antitrust Spring Meeting including an appearance by Chair Lina Khan at the Spring Meeting on an antitrust enforcement panel. Beyond that, the FTC had enforcement actions, inter-governmental collaborations, and public engagement this week. This, and more, after the jump.Continue Reading FTC Updates (April 8 – April 12, 2024)
As we close out the last week of March, the FTC updates include highlights from key findings from the International Competition Network on building tech capacity in law enforcement, banning the use of algorithms for price-fixing in the hotel industry, protecting child privacy data from software companies, and seeking information on the contracting practices of large health care organizations and drug wholesalers. All this, and more, after the jump.Continue Reading FTC Updates (March 18 – 29, 2024)
In mid-March, the FTC continued to back consumers’ right to repair, submitting a comment with the DOJ’s Antitrust Division to the U.S. Copyright Office in support of renewing and expanding exemptions for repair in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The Commission is refunding consumers who were misled into purchasing goods, making student loan payments, and charitable donations for cancer patients. In the first FTC enforcement action of its kind, a supplements company faces penalties for “hijacking” another product’s reviews as its own to boost sales. The Commission highlighted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the EnergyGuide Labeling Rule and Telemarketing Sales Rule. Members of the public are invited to join an open Commission meeting on March 21, 2024. Finally, the FTC appointed a new Administrative Law Judge, Jay L. Himes. More news on the FTC’s busy week, after the jump.Continue Reading FTC Updates (March 11–15, 2024)
As we move forward our clocks to adjust for daylight saving time and enter the season of spring, the FTC is keeping quite busy. The FTC held multiple events, proposed various settlement orders, and issued new rules covering a host of industries and topical areas, including healthcare, privacy, and telemarketing. Most importantly, the FTC welcomed Commissioners Ferguson and Holyoak.Continue Reading FTC Updates (February 26 – March 11, 2024)
The FTC was active in privacy and security related matters this week. The agency submitted a letter to the House Judiciary Committee related to a social media platform’s data sharing practices with third-parties. It also announced a multi-million dollar settlement with a software company over its data collection and selling practices. Additionally, this week’s updates include the FTC filing an administrative complaint against a major tax preparation company for its advertising and marketing tactics. All this, and more, after the jump.Continue Reading FTC Updates (February 19-23, 2024)
The FTC celebrates the Valentine’s Day holiday this week by providing warnings to consumers about online romance scams. Additionally, this week’s updates include the FTC’s warnings to artificial intelligence companies regarding clauses in terms of services, a new tool to combat impersonation scams, and a judgment providing monetary relief for small businesses harmed by cash advance companies. All this, and more, after the jump.Continue Reading FTC Updates (February 12-16, 2024)
The FTC continued its focus on consumer protection matters this week, announcing both finalized orders and consumer refunds in enforcement actions ranging from student debt relief to telemarketing. This, and more, after the jump.Continue Reading FTC Updates (February 5 – February 9, 2024)
The FTC this week has primarily focused on consumer protection, announcing successful efforts against companies who failed to protect consumers from illegal telemarketing calls and hackers. The agency’s efforts build on a series of actions focusing on consumer privacy and security, which are all the more important as, in the agency’s words, “businesses face fresh incentives to hoard data to train AI models.” These stories and more after the jump.Continue Reading FTC Updates (January 29 – February 2, 2024)