Internet Marketing Law Blog

Earlier this year, a federal judge in Delaware dealt a blow to Federal Trade Commission jurisdiction when it partially dismissed a lawsuit it filed alleging violation of antitrust laws. The dismissal drew attention, in large part, because the court ruled that the FTC’s ability to seek a permanent injunction is dependent upon establishing the existence…

New York Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood recently announced an agreement with Avvo – an online legal directory – to reform its attorney rating system and improve its disclosures to consumers. The announcement comes following an investigation revealed that the content and limits of Avvo’s rating system were not clearly disclosed. According to the NY…

FTC advertising lawyer Richard B. Newman was recently quoted in Communications Daily in an article entitled “FTC Hearing Called Potential Turning Point.” The article addresses the Federal Trade Commission public hearings concerning whether broad-based changes in the economy, evolving business practices, new technologies and international developments might require adjustments to competition and consumer protection law, enforcement priorities…

The U.S. Department of Justice has announced that a Seattle, Washington man has pleaded guilty to conducting cyberstalking and threat campaigns against multiple individuals. “.. [The] guilty plea demonstrates that conduct occurring online can cause victims serious harm and anguish offline,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski.  “While this prosecution cannot undo the damage this defendant inflicted, it sends a clear…

The Eighth Circuit recently dismissed a TCPA claim for lack of Article III standing after concluding that the alleged injuries were not caused by (“traceable”) the purported TCPA violations. St. Louis Heart Center, Inc. v. Nomax, Inc. (8th Cir. Aug. 6, 2018). In Nomax, the plaintiff filed a class action after receiving a number of…

The “bible of the telecom industry” – as stated by the Washington Post – and the recipient of first-place journalism awards recently solicited the opinion of FTC defense lawyer Richard B. Newman about the new Director of the agency’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. There has been no shortage of recent press discussing Mr. Smith’s vast legal…