Internet Law
FTC Adds Senior Executives That Allegedly Played Key Roles in Alleged Amazon Prime Enrollment Scheme
By Richard B. Newman |
As previously blogged about here, in June 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. On September 20, 2023, the FTC accounced that it has added senior executives that allegedly played…
NY AG and FTC Secure $1.6M from Online Apartment Finder for Allegedly Defrauding Renters
By Richard B. Newman |
On August 28, 2023, the New York Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that they have secured $1.6 million from Roomster, an online apartment search platform, and its owners, for allegedly defrauding millions of renters nationwide by posting unverified apartment listings and fake reviews. The consent order also prohibits Roomster and its…
FTC Publishes Final Revised Endorsement Guides, Updates a Staff FAQ Publication and Proposes a New Rule Governing Fake Reviews
By Richard B. Newman |
The Federal Trade Commission’s Endorsement Guides were first enacted in 1980 and amended in 2009. The Guides provide guidance to businesses and others to ensure that advertising using endorsements or testimonials is truthful. Advertisers that deceive consumers via endorsements or testimonials may violate the FTC Act. The Guides, among other things, state that advertisers need…
Richard B. Newman Quoted in Cybersecurity Law Report on Xbox and Alexa FTC COPPA Case Lessons: Biometrics, Avatars and Other New Expectations
By Richard B. Newman |
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
By Richard B. Newman |
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 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. …