Blog

It’s one of the biggest purchases people make, but two new FTC staff reports examine some common pitfalls when consumers are in the market for a car. Buckle down and read the Bureau of Consumer Protection’s Buckle Up: Navigating Auto Sales and Financing, which focuses on the challenges buyers face in getting accurate, understandable information when shopping for a vehicle. Not in the auto business? Not so fast. The deep-dive analysis of Buckle Up...

Ask consumers what would make their lives easier and some lists might include a more comfortable home and lower bills. Four cases just filed by the FTC challenge allegedly deceptive R-value, energy-savings, or money-savings claims by unrelated companies that sell a variety of architectural coatings for houses and other structures. First, a little R-value R-efresher. Most consumers are out in the cold when it comes to evaluating insulation claims...

As adage-writers go, whoever penned, “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” should have looked for another line of work. And, the writer should have hoped that prospective employers wouldn’t spot a promotion for MyLife.com, saying they could see the writer’s criminal and sexual offender records by subscribing to MyLife’s background reports. A lawsuit announced today alleges that MyLife.com, Inc., and its founder...

The FTC’s actions against Volkswagen for false “clean diesel” claims were record-setting in size, scope, and seriousness. The defendants spent millions to pitch their cars to environmentally conscious consumers. But behind those low emissions numbers was a dirty little secret – and we do mean dirty: The defendants had cheated on the test. The cases made headlines in 2016 and 2017 and for many people, that was the end of the road. But as a Final...

Your patient calls you panicked because she’s on her last pair of contact lenses. Perhaps due to COVID-19, she isn’t able to (or doesn’t want to) come into the office. You may determine, in your medical judgment, that it’s appropriate to renew or extend that prescription. How do the Contact Lens Consumer Act and the Contact Lens Rule apply to that interaction? While prescribers are likely looking out for the best interests of their patients by...

Maybe it’s the influence of that best-selling book on home organization or perhaps the silos of stuff in our makeshift home offices are becoming more noticeable. Either way, people are in a decluttering mood – and we are, too. Our recent project: updating and streamlining Complying with COPPA: Frequently Asked Questions, known as the COPPA FAQs. But not to worry. The revisions don’t raise new policy issues and our COPPA Rule review continues. So...

“Curtain up. Light the lights.” The FTC’s fifth PrivacyCon begins tomorrow, July 21, 2020, at 9:00 AM Eastern Time. Set a reminder now to join in from wherever you are. The virtual event will bring together global experts to share their latest research on consumer privacy and security, including topics like health apps, bias in AI algorithms, the Internet of Things, international privacy, and so much more. Minutes before the kick-off, visit the...

The FTC's Bureau of Competition sometimes reviews proposed mergers against the backdrop of civil and criminal antitrust investigations or litigations leveled in the same industry. And at times, such investigations and litigations are leveled against the merger parties themselves. Those ongoing matters may affect our analysis of a merger, as well as the vetting of divestiture packages and proposed divestiture buyers. Even if details of such...

You may have seen reports of the fire that destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard. Dozens of sailors fled the burning ship and lost all their possessions. When a distressing event like this happens, many folks look for ways to help. But you also want to make sure your money gets to the people you want to help. In this case, scammers are making that more difficult. Officials at Naval Base Coronado have sounded the alarm about fake crowdfunding pages...

Information Security and Financial Institutions: An FTC Workshop to Examine the Safeguards Rule – a virtual event to consider the future of the Rule – is on now. Watch from the LIVE WEBCAST link on the event page. In addition, FTC staff is tweeting from @FTC using the hashtag #SafeguardsFTC.