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Fame, FTC, and Fine Print: Navigating Advertising Rules in an Evolving Landscape
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May 12, 2025
Fame, FTC, and Fine Print: Navigating Advertising Rules in an Evolving Landscape
By: Abbey Block
Ryan Seacrest is most well-known for his role as the charismatic host of popular television shows like American Idol and Wheel of Fortune. But more recently, Seacrest has taken on a new business venture, becoming the spokesperson for the social casino platform, Chumba Casino. Chumba Casino, launched in 2012, allows players to engage in online casino-style games. Seacrest began his partnership with the brand in December of 2023, and has been featured prominently in the platform’s promotional materials on social media platforms such as YouTube and Instagram. But Seacrest recently found himself in a bit of legal hot water, being named as a co-defendant in a lawsuit brought against Chumba’s parent company, VGW. In the lawsuit, plaintiff Aubrey Carillo alleges…
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California Actively Enforcing its Delete Act against Data Brokers
March 10, 2025
California Actively Enforcing its Delete Act against Data Brokers
By: Nicole Kardell
If you are a data broker and you are not registered in California, you may face sanctions, including fines and possible shut down of operations. The California Privacy Protection Agency is actively enforcing the state’s Delete Act, legislation that was enacted in 2023. The Delete Act requires entities that qualify as data brokers under the law to register annually with the CPPA and pay the…
FTC Cracking Down On Online Censorship
February 27, 2025
FTC Cracking Down On Online Censorship
By: Steven Eichorn
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has recently launched a public outreach effort to obtain information from the public regarding how they are treated by technology platforms. As explained by the FTC, they are seeking to “understand how technology platforms deny or degrade users’ access to services based on the content of their speech or affiliation, and how this conduct may have violated the law.” This…
LegalZoom and Rocket Lawyer Case over Misleading Advertising Heads to Trial – When is “Free” Really “Free”?
October 25, 2013
LegalZoom and Rocket Lawyer Case over Misleading Advertising Heads to Trial – When is “Free” Really “Free”?
By: Ifrah Law
Last week, a federal judge in California declined to grant a summary judgment motion to LegalZoom.com, Inc., in its lawsuit accusing rival Rocket Lawyer, Inc. over claims of trademark infringement, unfair competition, and false and misleading advertising that focus on the use of the word “free” in advertisements by Rocket Lawyer. LegalZoom and Rocket Lawyer are the two biggest names in the online legal services…
After Google Action, Those Who Dig for Dirt Must Dig a Little Harder
October 14, 2013
After Google Action, Those Who Dig for Dirt Must Dig a Little Harder
By: Jeffrey Hamlin
Google recently announced that it would be taking action to demote websites that profit from the use of mugshot photos. These mugshot sites compile booking photographs taken after people’s arrests and publish them along with the arrestees’ names and information concerning the charges against them. Individuals who want their mugshot and arrest record deleted from the site usually must pay a fee ranging anywhere from…
CFPB Shows It’s a Tough New Cop on the Beat With Case Against Payment Processor
October 7, 2013
CFPB Shows It’s a Tough New Cop on the Beat With Case Against Payment Processor
By: Michelle Cohen
On October 3, 2013, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced it had filed a complaint in federal district court in Washington state against a leading debt-settlement payment processor, Meracord LLC, and its CEO. The CFPB contends that Meracord helped third parties collect millions of dollars in illegal upfront fees from consumers. The complaint alleged violations of the Federal Trade Commission’s Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) and…
How to Break the Federal Debt-Collection Law — By Texting
October 4, 2013
How to Break the Federal Debt-Collection Law — By Texting
By: Steven Eichorn
It’s quite clear that the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission view existing federal consumer protection and communications statutes as fully applicable to new modes of communication such as texting. One excellent recent example is the FTC’s stipulated settlement, including a payment of $1 million, with a debt collection agency that had sent out text messages in order to collect debts. The FTC…
FTC Takes First Enforcement Action on ‘Internet of Things’
September 29, 2013
FTC Takes First Enforcement Action on ‘Internet of Things’
By: Ifrah Law
A company that markets video cameras that are designed to allow consumers to monitor their homes remotely has agreed to settle charges with the FTC that it failed to properly protect consumers’ privacy. This marks the FTC’s first enforcement action against a marketer of a product with connectivity to the Internet and other mobile devices, commonly referred to as the “Internet of Things.” The FTC’s…
