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“Sweet! Check out Buzz.” “Nah, go to my inbox.” That was the intriguing choice facing Gmail users last year when Google launched Google Buzz, its social network. But according to a settlement announced this week by the FTC, the company violated the privacy promises it made to Gmail users and used deceptive tactics in the Buzz rollout. The story starts with Google’s privacy policy. From October 2004 until October 2010, Gmail users were told,...

Incessant phone calls to consumers, often about accounts that weren't theirs. Repeated autocalls to wrong numbers. Illegal disclosures to other people that a consumer owes money. Those are just some of the allegations in the FTC's recent settlement with West Asset Management, a debt collection company that employs more than 1,500 collectors in 13 states and one offshore location. According to the FTC's lawsuit filed in federal court in Atlanta...

Two hot topics in the advertising arena: affiliate marketing and consumer testimonials. The FTC’s settlement with Legacy Learning Systems touches on both of those buzzworthy issues. According to the agency’s complaint, Legacy — which sells instructional DVDs, including a “how to play the guitar” series — represented, directly or indirectly, expressly or by implication, that reviews of their products were endorsements reflecting the opinions of...

If you’ve been following recent developments about endorsements and affiliate marketing, the FTC’s settlement with Nashville-based Legacy Learning Systems and Lester Gabriel Smith — marketers of a “learn to play the guitar” DVD series – should strike a chord. One way Legacy promoted its products was through an affiliate program — a set-up in which hyperlinks on one site will direct potential buyers to another site. Affiliates typically get paid...

It’s awards season for the entertainment industry. There’s no red carpet in front of the FTC and no one’s likely to ask “Who are you wearing?” — except to ascertain that the manufacturer complied with the Care Labeling Rule. But consumer protection is a common theme in movies nonetheless. With acknowledgments to Steve Baker, director of the FTC’s Midwest Region who first started the list, here are some of our favorite consumer protection-themed...

The FTC has gone to court in an effort to shut down an operation that allegedly blasted consumers with more than five million illegal spam text messages, including many pitching loan modification help, debt relief, and other services. The agency also has charged that the defendant marketed his text message services with email that violated the CAN-SPAM Act. According to the FTC, here’s how the operation worked. When people responded to the...

Of course, no legitimate business would put out a welcome mat for crooks. But as the FTC’s data security cases make clear, that’s the effect when companies fail to take reasonable steps to secure sensitive information in their possession — or data they allow others to access. Three recent settlements with companies that resell credit reports illustrate that point. The companies contract with the nationwide credit reporting agencies to assemble...

As a recent FTC action against three companies and their owner proves, ads promising quick and easy relief from credit card debt are likely to attract law enforcement attention. But this case featured an interesting twist because what the company really was up to was generating leads it turned around and sold to other companies. According to the FTC’s lawsuit against Media Innovation, Hermosa Group, Financial Future Network, and Jonathan...

For many people, environmental considerations play an important role in what they put in their shopping carts. But it's tough to know when green claims are credible. Seals and certifications can be a useful tool to help shoppers decide where to place their trust and how to spend their money — but only if they're backed by solid proof. The FTC’s proposed settlement with Tested Green, Nonprofit Management LLC, and Jeremy Ryan Claeys demonstrates...

When visiting an unfamiliar city, it helps to have a tour guide – a knowledgeable local to walk alongside you to point out the notable sights. When your destination is a proposed FTC order, that guide is the Analysis to Aid Public Comment, a summary of key provisions the Commission issues with each administrative settlement. Given the buzz these days about ad substantiation, the Analysis in the FTC’s proposed settlement with Dannon – which...