By: John Garrasi Earlier this month, Apple was fined almost two billion dollars by the European Commission over restrictions placed on App Store access to third parties. At the same time, an U.S. judge ruled that Alphabet’s Google would not be saved from having to face claims of monopolization in the online ad business.… Read More Finally: Antitrust’s Unstoppable Force Meets Big Tech’s Immovable Object
By: John Garrasi It is the dawning of a new age for American antitrust law. Led by the idealistic Lina Khan as head of the FTC, idealists and regulators alike find themselves gearing up for the biggest fight in a generation. In the more than two decades since the Department of Justice’s last battle… Read More Fruit of the Forbidden Tree Apple’s Pending Battle Against the FTC
By: Kaylie Scalze Hey Dude has agreed to settle with the Federal Trade Commission for several charges, including misleading consumers by hiding negative reviews that gave their shoe products anything less than four out of five stars. Hey Dude willpay fines worth $1.95 million to the FTC and has agreed to several of the FTC’s… Read More Hey Dude Settles for $1.95M Becoming the Latest Company on the FTC’s Hitlist as it Increases Focus on Online Reviews and Social Media Marketing
By: John Garrasi It is hard for younger generations to imagine a time before Amazon. The convinience and speed with which consumers are now able to have groceries, clothing, and movies delivered to their doorsteps seems to be the embodiment of American consumerism and instant gratification. Millions upon millions of Americans take advantage of Amazon’s… Read More Amazon’s Accountability
By: Casey Reilly Last month, two federal United States agencies, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) and the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), indicated their separate intent to tighten existing consumer security protocols. The CFPB issued a circular, which is a policy statement that advises relevant authorities on how to enforce federal laws related to consumer… Read More Federal Agencies Indicate Intentions to Tighten Data Security Controls
By: Aleksandra Conway Silina The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) started aggressively enforcing antitrust policy in 2021. The reforms, which took place in 2021, broadened the authority of the commission to investigate alleged anticompetitive conduct, as well as mergers in digital markets, pharmaceuticals, and other specific markets. Prior to the FTC’s lawsuit against Meta (Facebook and… Read More That’s So Meta: Potential Acquisition of “Within” Brings Concern from the FTC
Texas-based skin care company Sunday Riley was issued a settlement order which put to rest charges brought by the FTC for deceptive trade practices. The company had been instructing its employees to create fake Sephora accounts and leave positive reviews for Sunday Riley products under the guise of ordinary consumers. For two years, Sunday Riley had been engaging in these practices in order to boost product ratings and increase its sales. The no-money, no-fault settlement entered into by the FTC and Sunday Riley has garnered criticism due to its lack of punishment for the company’s federal law violations.… Read More Cult-favorite Skin Care Company Smooths Out Major Wrinkle with FTC Settlement
After several years of litigation Amazon has decided to settle a case and pay out $70 million for in-app purchases made by children without parental permission.… Read More Amazon App Store: Primed for a Refund
The Federal Trade Commission is enhancing its focus on social influencers and deceptive product promotion. New regulations may require brands to be more transparent about their sponsored content. … Read More Disclosure in the Digital Age: The FTC Sets Forth New Regulations for Social Media Marketing
Written By: Kaleigh Fitzpatrick On Tuesday, January 27, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) called on technology companies selling Internet-connected devices to institute comprehensive measures to protect users’ data security and privacy. The report, entitled “Internet of Things: Privacy and Security in a Connected World,” urged companies to make data protection a top priority because… Read More FTC Urges Internet of Things Companies to Better Protect Data, Says Not Time for New Legislation
POSTED BY Linda Vo Just days after reaching a $105 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and other U.S. government agencies over mobile cramming, AT&T once again finds itself in court with the FTC. On October 28, 2014, the FTC filed a federal court complaint against AT&T, charging the telecommunications giant for data… Read More FTC Sues AT&T for “Data Throttling”