A Blog About FTC regulations and happenings

The Wall Street Journal has acknowledged the serious problem that chargebacks pose to businesses in an article posted on its website. Merchants pay a heavy price for these reverse credit card transactions, which cost them a lost sale, the lost product, and a fine imposed by the credit card company. What’s more, courts have equated… Read More

On February 8, the Federal Trade Commission announced that Columbia Law Professor Tim Wu would be joining the Commission’s Office of Policy Planning. The law professor known for coining the phrase “net neutrality” reportedly will advise the Commission on long-range competition and consumer protection policy initiatives. Professor Wu’s appointment is considered by many in the… Read More

It’s a gut-wrenching feeling when a computer owner realizes that his or her computer may be infected with a virus. Immediately, one’s thoughts turn to the data that could be permanently lost — documents and pictures that may be difficult or impossible to replace. Next comes the realization that if the documents can be recovered… Read More

Helmet safety has caught the attention of the Federal Trade Commission, which is looking into marketing claims that some football helmets can help reduce concussions. Recent months have seen widespread publicity about concussions and other traumatic head and neck injuries suffered by football players, prompting the National Football League to step up enforcement of rules… Read More

Brokers, middlemen, and intermediaries serve an economic purpose: to put people who want a product or service in touch with a product maker or service provider. Real estate brokers help us buy and sell homes; mortgage brokers help us find lenders for our home purchases; manufacturing reps help get new products on our grocery shelves,… Read More

The Federal Trade Commission has been clamping down on several major food companies regarding health claims in their advertising.  Iovate Health Sciences USA and Nestle S.A. subsidiary, Nestle Healthcare Nutrition, Inc., were the first to come under FTC fire, both entering into settlement agreements last summer.  Dannon Company, Inc. and POM Wonderful LLC were next. … Read More

This is the first of a regular series of posts that summarize and wrap up our latest thoughts that have appeared recently on Ifrah Law’s two blogs. 1. Can Police Read a Suspect’s Text Messages Without a Warrant? What happens when the usual rules of search and seizure collide with the new world of information… Read More

In a cybermarket full of every product and service imaginable, advertisers go to great lengths to make their products stand out by grabbing consumers’ attention and interest. In recent years blogs have become a popular forum for sharing tips and information, and advertisers have used blogs to promote their products. While advertisers are perfectly entitled… Read More

Customers are flocking to electronic cigarettes — battery-operated nicotine delivery devices that are meant to replicate the flavor and sensation of smoking a tobacco cigarette. While merchants and advertisers are understandably eager to participate in this growing industry, we predict that the FTC will be watching ads carefully in anticipation of enforcing its advertising rules…. Read More