Month: June 2023

Richard B. Newman Quoted in Cybersecurity Law Report on Xbox and Alexa FTC COPPA Case Lessons: Biometrics, Avatars and Other New Expectations

FTC advertising compliance and defense lawyer Richard B. Newman was recently quoted in an article for Cybersecurity Law Report titled “Xbox and Alexa COPPA Case Lessons: Avatars, Biometrics and Other New Expectations.” The article discusses the FTC’s recent privacy enforcement run and how it reinforces regulators’ expanding expectations for companies using video and audio recordings, smart devices…

FTC Places Online Marketplaces on Notice of Obligations Under INFORM Consumer Act

The Federal Trade Commission has recently sent letters to 50 online marketplaces nationwide notifying them about their obligation to comply with the new Integrity, Notification, and Fairness in Online Retail Marketplaces for Consumers Act – or the INFORM Consumers Act – as soon as it takes effect on June 27, 2023. “The INFORM Consumers Act…

FTC Files Complaint Against Amazon for Allegedly Enrolling Consumers in Prime Without Consent and Making it Difficult to Cancel

On June 21, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission announced an action against Amazon.com, Inc. for allegedly enrolling consumers in its Prime program without consent and knowingly making it difficult for consumers to cancel their subscriptions. The redacted complaint charges that Amazon knowingly tricked millions of consumers into enrolling in Amazon Prime using manipulative, coercive or…

FTC Requires Microsoft to Pay $20 million over Charges it Illegally Collected Personal Information from Children without Parental Consent

On June 5, 2023, the FTC announced that Microsoft will pay $20 million to settle agency charges that it violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”) by collecting personal information from children that signed up to its Xbox gaming system without notifying their parents or obtaining their parents’ consent, and by illegally retaining children’s…

FTC Explores Environmental Claims and Civil Penalty Rulemakings

On May 23, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission hosted a national workshop designed to consider the current state of recycling practices and recycling-related advertising. This follows an FTC announcement in December 2022 that the agency was seeking public comment on potential updates and changes to its ‘Green Guides’ for the use of environment marketing claims. …