All articles tagged with #consumer protection
The Federal Trade Commission announced a $10 million settlement with StubHub after finding it violated the Fees Rule by advertising ticket prices without clearly disclosing the total upfront, including mandatory fees. The funds will be used for consumer redress, and the order bans misrepresenting total prices and requires clear disclosure of all fees before purchase.
The FTC filed a complaint against OkCupid and Match Group Americas, alleging they deceived users by sharing personal data (including photos and location) with a third party without proper disclosure or opt-outs, in violation of their privacy promises. The proposed settlement permanently bans misrepresenting privacy practices and data handling; the investigation, conducted under a Civil Investigative Demand, led to a case in the Northern District of Texas and centers on nearly three million user photos and related data.
Colorado's House advanced HB 26-1210 to outlaw using personal data and algorithms to set individualized wages or product prices, while excluding loyalty programs and normal supply-demand fluctuations; the bill would make surveillance pricing a deceptive trade practice enforceable by the attorney general, prompting questions about breadth as it heads to the Senate.
Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority has opened a probe into five firms— including Just Eat and Autotrader—over potential breaches of consumer law related to how online reviews are obtained, moderated and presented; the other targets are funeral firm Dignity, review platform Feefo and Pasta Evangelists, with the CMA stressing it has not ruled on any violations.
FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson sent warning letters to the CEOs of PayPal, Stripe, Visa, and Mastercard, reiterating their obligations under the FTC Act and warning that denying access to financial services based on political or religious views could violate the law and trigger enforcement, referencing a 2025 executive order on debanking.
A New Mexico jury found Meta Platforms violated state consumer-protection law by misleading users about safety on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp and enabling child exploitation, ordering $375 million in civil penalties; Meta says it will appeal as it faces broader scrutiny over youth safety and platform design.
A New Mexico jury ruled Meta liable for consumer-protection violations and ordered $375 million in civil penalties for misleading users about platform safety and enabling harm, including child sexual exploitation. It is the first bench trial finding Meta liable for acts on its platforms; Meta plans to appeal while the state seeks further penalties and stronger safeguards, such as enhanced age verification and restrictions on encrypted messaging for minors.
New York's cash-acceptance law takes effect March 21, requiring food stores and retailers to accept cash, banning higher prices for cash or mandatory card payments, with penalties up to $1,000 for the first violation and $1,500 for subsequent ones; exemptions include denominations over $20, remote orders, and cash-to-prepaid-card conversions (without extra fees).
The FTC sent letters to 97 car-dealership chains warning them to stop deceptive pricing, detailing six prohibited practices: prices that omit required fees, rebates not available to all, down payments misrepresented, prices conditioned on dealer financing, mandatory add-ons, and advertising unavailable vehicles. Penalties aren’t specified as the agency’s narrowed rules limit enforcement, and NADA says it will cooperate with the FTC.
A used-car dealership won nearly $10 million in a court case against Hyundai after a judge found that Hyundai destroyed evidence and lied, highlighting a high-stakes legal dispute over corporate conduct in the auto market.
The Federal Trade Commission sent letters to 97 auto groups warning that advertised vehicle prices must include all mandatory fees, urging dealers to ensure advertised prices reflect actual costs and to curb deceptive pricing practices as part of ongoing price-transparency enforcement.
Adobe will pay $75 million to settle a US government lawsuit alleging it harmed consumers by hiding termination terms and imposing early termination fees on Creative Cloud subscriptions; the company will also offer $75 million worth of free services to affected customers if the settlement gains final court approval, and it denies wrongdoing while noting improvements to transparency. The announcement follows news that CEO Shantanu Narayen plans to step down after 18 years at the helm.
Pennsylvania is advancing Senate Bill 1205 to ban dynamic pricing—changing the prices of essential goods or services within 24 hours based on demand or AI-driven factors—as a consumer-protection measure, reflecting a broader national debate as other states weigh similar laws and researchers scrutinize algorithmic pricing after incidents like Instacart's tests and New York's algorithmic pricing disclosure act.
Space King's No Girls Allowed Relic Box—a Warhammer-parody merch bundle—was found to include a copper drinking cup with elevated lead levels; the creators warned fans to dispose of the cups after tests, saying testing occurred before shipping but production was inconsistent, prompting an investigation and highlighting safety concerns around niche merch amid fan culture.
Pennsylvania lawmakers propose Senate Bill 1205 to ban 24-hour price changes on essential goods, part of a growing wave of state measures aiming to curb surveillance and dynamic pricing driven by AI; at least a dozen states are considering similar proposals, while New York has enacted a disclosure requirement for algorithmic pricing, and retailers like Walmart are expanding digital shelf labels—raising questions about price transparency and the risk of targeted pricing.