FTC
FTC Files Complaint Against Amazon for Allegedly Enrolling Consumers in Prime Without Consent and Making it Difficult to Cancel
By Richard B. Newman |
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
By Richard B. Newman |
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
By Richard B. Newman |
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. …
FTC Obtains $16.7M Judgment Against Principals and Celebrity Endorsers of Real Estate Investment Training Program
By Richard B. Newman |
On May 22, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission announced that as a result of a lawsuit filed along with the Utah Division of Consumer Protection, the principals of a Utah-based real estate investment training company will pay $15 million and be banned from selling money-making opportunities under a court order they have agreed to. In…
FTC Compliance and Defense Lawyer Discusses Existential Threat to Lead Generation Industry
By Richard B. Newman |
As previously blogged about here, the FCC recently proposed a rule that would turn the lead generation on its head. The proposed new rule goes quite a bit further than simply requiring wireless carriers to block texts from illegitimate numbers. See more, here. In addition to carrier investigation and blocking obligations, as well as an extension of DNC…
FTC Continues Assault on Sham Charities and Fundraisers That Participate in the Deception
By Richard B. Newman |
In 2018, the Federal Trade Commission announced “Operations Donate with Honor,” as law enforcers united to challenge deceptive fundraising. At the time, 54 Attorneys General from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, and Puerto Rico, and 16 additional state agencies that oversee charities joined forces to announce a coordinated effort to…