FTC Staff Files Comment on U.S. Department of Education’s Proposed Regulations to Protect Postsecondary Education Students

The staff of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection filed a comment today with the U.S. Department of Education regarding the U.S. Department of Education’s proposed regulations to protect postsecondary students in the education marketplace.

In the comment FTC staff stresses its support of the Education Department’s proposed regulations, noting that prohibiting misrepresentations and deceptive recruitment practices would help curb the very type of harm that the FTC has encountered in its cases.

“Cracking down on predatory schools requires a whole-of-government approach, and we welcome the Department of Education’s renewed efforts to protect students,” said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “We will continue to work closely with our partners across the government to ensure fairness for student borrowers and accountability for those who cheat them.”

Staff’s comment also notes that, given the importance and expense of education, the FTC has prioritized protecting consumers from unfair and deceptive practices in this space. It highlights the Commission’s history of enforcement, including cases involving deceptive claims by for-profit schools, deceptive lead generation practices, and bogus student loan debt relief services. The comment endorses the Education Department’s effort to protect consumers from the harms caused by such practices in the education marketplace.

The Commission vote authorizing staff to file the comment was 3-0.