A Blog About FTC regulations and happenings

If you blinked over the past couple of months, you may have missed it: the number of U.S. states that have adopted privacy laws has more than doubled. We are now up to 11 states (not including Nevada, which has a narrow privacy law on the books) with privacy frameworks. Fortunately, there seems to be… Read More

The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) recently issued updated “Endorsement Guides.” Guides, last revised in 2009, give businesses guidance on what endorsement practices may be considered “unfair” or “deceptive” under the FTC Act.  They also provide the general principles the FTC will use in evaluating endorsements and testimonials. As social media has evolved, the FTC has… Read More

The Commodities Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) has only brought one lawsuit against a Decentralized Autonomous Organization, or a DAO, which was recently decided in federal court. The case involved a decentralized finance trading protocol “that had transformed into a decentralized autonomous organization, a DAO, offering leveraged and margined retail commodity transactions to the public,” according… Read More

On June 27, 2023, the Integrity, Notification, and Fairness in Online Retail Marketplaces for Consumers Act (the “INFORM Consumers Act”, or “Act”) becomes effective, imposing new obligations on online marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy.  Specifically, the INFORM Consumers Act requires online marketplaces to verify and disclose high-volume third-party sellers’ identities. Congress enacted the law… Read More

When another person publishes a lie about you that causes harm to your reputation, you can seek relief by filing a defamation lawsuit. But what sort of relief is available when the person making the defamatory statement isn’t a person at all – but instead is a robot? The world may soon find out. In… Read More

When faced with federal agency enforcement actions, companies frequently enter into consent decrees with the government to avoid the time, expense, and uncertainties of litigation. Consent decrees often involve the payment of settlement monies. They can also include lengthy commitments in furtherance of compliance, such as annual reporting and officer certifications. Consent decrees may also… Read More

Have you seen the latest craze in babysitting? If you are ever out in public, you have. Think of the last time you were at a restaurant, stoplight, or airport, and noticed a child, aged between tot and tween, fixated on his or her device. That’s the craze: the cheapest, most available babysitting option these… Read More

Over the last year, an abundance of headlines detailing innovations in artificial intelligence (AI) technology have hit the news cycle. Beyond mere technical advancements, many reports have discussed AI’s potential to revolutionize innumerable industries and the workplace, whether for better or worse.  The White House is accordingly delving into AI’s role in the workplace, recently… Read More

Congress enacted Section 524(g) of the Bankruptcy Code in 1994. That statute requires a 75% supermajority of claimants to approve a bankruptcy plan binding on future claimants and containing injunctions protecting the debtor and other third parties. The statute handed veto power to prominent plaintiff law firms. Companies facing mass tort liabilities, primarily asbestos, were… Read More