MilConsumer Blog Feed

Here’s an essential truth about essential oils: There is no sound science that demonstrates they can treat, prevent, or cure COVID-19. The FTC announced three settlements with distributors for Utah-based multi-level marketing company doTERRA International, LLC, who made COVID-related claims for some of the company’s essential oils and dietary supplements. Filed by the Department of Justice on the FTC’s behalf, the complaints also note that the...

In the hierarchy of confidential data, health information ranks right up there. And in the hierarchy of health information, details about a person’s mental health may be among the most confidential. But according to the FTC, that’s not how online counseling service BetterHelp viewed it. The FTC says the company repeatedly pushed people to take an Intake Questionnaire and hand over sensitive health information through unavoidable prompts. And it...

The word “recyclable” shows up in a lot of environmental claims for consumer products, but what do people understand the term to mean? Does that perception reflect the current state of recycling practices? And have there been changes in perception or practices that might suggest updates to the FTC’s Green Guides? Those are some of the topics on the table at Talking Trash at the FTC: Recyclable Claims and the Green Guides , a half-day workshop...

Millions of people in the U.S. rent their home. Their landlord could be a small mom-and-pop property owner, a large property management company, a public housing agency, or some other kind of organization. Many of these landlords buy applicants’ credit reports or use tenant screening companies to assist in evaluating prospective tenants. Tenant screening companies are consumer reporting agencies that compile information about the prospective...

A creature is formed of clay. A puppet becomes a boy. A monster rises in a lab. A computer takes over a spaceship. And all manner of robots serve or control us. For generations we’ve told ourselves stories, using themes of magic and science, about inanimate things that we bring to life or imbue with power beyond human capacity. Is it any wonder that we can be primed to accept what marketers say about new tools and devices that supposedly reflect...

There are prime numbers, irrational numbers, and Fibonacci’s numbers – but from a consumer protection perspective, no number is quite as sobering as the dollar amount that people reported losing to fraud in 2022. According to new data from the FTC , that number is almost $8.8 billion and it’s up 30% over the year before. The Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book reflects reports received through the Consumer Sentinel Network , a database of...

In response to reports that some eye doctors may be violating the Contact Lens Rule , the FTC recently sent cease-and-desist letters to 24 prescribers’ offices reminding them of their legal obligations. The FTC’s Contact Lens Rule ensures that patients receive a copy of their contact lens prescription when they complete a contact lens fitting with their eyecare professional. The Rule requires prescribers to give patients a copy of their...

It’s for sure you’ve seen ads like this online and in social media. They use a litany of iffy claims to advertise equally questionable products: “drop the pounds” diet pills, IQ-boosting brain supplements , CBD cure-alls, get- rich-quick promotions, and the like. But what separates these ads from others is that they appear – emphasis on appear – to have the endorsement of celebrities and big names in the business world. What they really are is...

I am honored to announce the creation of the Office of Technology (OT) at the Federal Trade Commission, a team that will provide technical expertise across agency matters and strengthen the agency’s ability to enforce the nation’s competition and consumer protection laws. We are hiring technologists to join the team. Staying on the cutting edge of emerging technology has long been a core part of the FTC's mandate. The emergence of the radio in...

The announcement of the launch of the FTC’s Office of Technology is an important next-step development in the agency’s commitment to protecting consumers in the digital marketplace. As we look forward to the challenges the Office of Technology will take on, it’s an opportune time to look back at the ground-breaking work of the Bureau of Consumer Protection’s Office of Technology Research and Investigation (OTECH), which will bring its experience...