All articles tagged with #ftc
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 says OkCupid and Match Group shared nearly three million OkCupid user photos, plus location and other data, with Clarifai, a facial-recognition company, without user consent or clear restrictions, violating the company’s privacy promises. The data-sharing, dating back to 2014 and highlighted by media reports, was not disclosed to users and was described as concealed during the FTC investigation. Under a settlement submitted for court approval, the companies are permanently barred from misrepresenting how they collect, use or share personal data and from restricting user privacy controls—yet they face no financial penalty.
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.
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.
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.
The FTC will issue about $47.2 million in refunds to 444,131 consumers who paid Invitation Homes undisclosed junk fees and other allegedly deceptive charges from 2021 to 2024. Average payout is about $106. The settlement requires clearer pricing, fair handling of security deposits, and other reforms after a 2024 lawsuit against the company.
The Federal Trade Commission reached a $100 million settlement with Walmart alleging Walmart misled Spark delivery drivers about earnings; the deal requires clearer pay disclosures and ongoing compliance monitoring to prevent future deceptive practices.
The FTC issued a policy statement saying it will not pursue COPPA enforcement actions against general‑ or mixed‑audience sites that collect personal information solely to determine a user’s age through age‑verification tech, provided they meet strict conditions (no extra use or retention, proper third‑party assurances, clear notices, reasonable security, and likely accurate age results). The agency also plans to review the COPPA Rule as age‑verification technologies evolve, with the policy remaining in effect until final rule amendments.
Apple News, once praised as a neutral information source, is under renewed political pressure as MAGA allies push for more conservative coverage and regulators scrutinize potential bias. The FTC has warned the platform could violate consumer-protection rules by omitting viewpoints, and the conservative group MRC amplified claims of bias, drawing White House attention. Apple has a history of conceding to pressure, including a UK reversal with the Daily Mail, highlighting how a platform that contributes modest revenue remains a powerful and influential distribution channel for publishers.
The FTC says it will appeal a recent antitrust ruling involving Meta, signaling it will continue pursuing legal action to challenge the tech giant’s market power.
The Federal Trade Commission says it will appeal a November 2025 DC District Court ruling that favored Meta in the monopolization case, with the appeal to be heard by the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. The FTC contends Meta has maintained a decade-long personal social networking monopoly through anticompetitive conduct, including acquisitions of threats like Instagram and WhatsApp, and will continue pursuing the case to promote competition and protect consumers.
The FTC will appeal a ruling that Meta does not hold a monopoly in personal social networking, arguing that Meta illegally maintained dominance through anti-competitive acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp; Meta contends it faces robust competition, and the revived case will be weighed by a new judge amid ongoing political tensions around the tech regulator’s actions.
Ex-Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, defending the Microsoft deal in an investor-led lawsuit, says Call of Duty’s latest entry, Black Ops 7, is down more than 60% from last year, blaming weak console sales and competition from Battlefield; the claim highlights concerns about the franchise’s performance as GTA 6 looms, amid ongoing scrutiny of Activision’s sale.
The FTC asks a Nevada federal court to hold Cliq, Inc. (formerly Cardflex) and its leaders in contempt for repeatedly violating a 2015 order by processing payments for prohibited and high-risk merchants, including Mastercard’s MATCH-listed businesses, and failing to monitor risk. It seeks at least $52.9 million in relief, a permanent ban for the executives, and a court-appointed receiver to ensure compliance.
Democrat Mark Takano and Republican Mark Amodei reintroduce the Unsubscribe Act to curb complex cancellation processes, require explicit consent for charges after free trials, and prohibit auto-renewal, arguing that cancelling should be as easy as signing up. The measure follows an 8th Circuit ruling that blocked the FTC’s so-called ‘click-to-cancel’ rule and comes as the FTC seeks input on reviving similar protections. While consumer groups back the bill, industry coalitions oppose it. Surveys estimate Americans lose hundreds annually to unused subscriptions, underscoring the policy push.