All articles tagged with #ftc
The Federal Trade Commission announced Cox Media Group, MindSift, and 1010 Digital Works will pay $930,000 to settle allegations they lied about secretly listening to consumers via phones and smart devices to target ads; the FTC found no listening occurred and the service largely re-sold data from brokers, violating consumer privacy laws.
The FTC charged Cox Media Group and partners MindSift and 1010 Digital Works with misleading customers about an ‘Active Listening’ ad service that supposedly used voice data from devices to target ads; the service did not actually listen but relied on data broker lists, and claimed consumers opted in through terms of service. The settlement requires Cox to pay $880,000 and MindSift and 1010 Digital Works $25,000 each, with refunds to affected customers. The case underscores the need for truthful advertising and proper consumer consent.
The FTC and 17 states allege Amazon uses real-time, AI-driven pricing to not only set its own prices but steer rivals’ strategies, including an anti-discounting algorithm and a proactive “Nessie” system that raised prices across the market via feedback loops. The case argues this unilateral algorithmic manipulation undermines competition, affects third‑party sellers, and may require new rules—such as limiting how often prices can change—while the trial proceeds.
There are 100 days left for eligible Amazon customers to file a claim in the $2.5 billion settlement with the FTC, with a final deadline of July 27. This is the second payout phase; the first phase paid automatically last year. To qualify, Prime must have been signed up between June 23, 2019 and June 23, 2025, and the customer must have attempted to cancel or enrolled through a “challenged” flow. Claims can be filed online via the portal (the fastest method) or by emailing a completed form to [email protected]. The maximum payout is $51, with payments issued after claim review, expected by September; Amazon says it denied wrongdoing and aims to keep cancellations clear and simple.
The Federal Trade Commission and eight states reached settlements with ad firms Dentsu, Publicis, and WPP after accusing them of colluding to impose brand-safety standards that reduced advertising revenue for conservative outlets; the agreements bar certain anti-competitive ad-placement practices (the use of ‘Covered Bases’) and require changes to how ads are directed, while the firms did not admit wrongdoing; the action follows related actions against Omnicom and Interpublic and was approved by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman.
The Federal Trade Commission and eight states unveiled a proposed settlement with major ad agencies (WPP, Publicis, Dentsu) to bar them from coordinating to curb ads on platforms like X based on political content, targeting groups like GARM and critics such as NewsGuard and GDI. If approved, the order would ban cross-agency agreements that limit ad buys on publishers’ news and political content, require five years of annual compliance reports and appoint a five-year monitor. The move comes weeks after a judge dismissed a similar antitrust suit against X, underscoring renewed scrutiny of how brands police content online.
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.