Tag

Ftc

All articles tagged with #ftc

business1 day ago•1 min saved

FTC Settlement Reopens Real Estate Listings as Redfin Resumes Market Presence

The FTC and several states settled an antitrust case with Zillow over allegations it paid Redfin to halt its apartment internet listing service (ILS) for up to nine years. The settlement requires Redfin to re-enter the ILS with more listings, compels Zillow to share employee info to aid recruitment, and allows consumers to renegotiate contracts without penalties, all aimed at restoring competition and lowering costs for renters and property managers.

via Engadget|

#antitrust #business #ftc

technology3 days ago•4 min saved

Trump-era FTC rebrands pricing controversy as 'personalized pricing' push

The FTC under the Trump administration is seeking public comment on a policy draft that reframes what others call surveillance pricing as 'personalized pricing,' warning that using personal data to set prices could violate the FTC Act. The move shifts framing from the Biden era’s probe, signals enforcement intent, and reflects ongoing debate about AI-driven pricing, disclosure requirements, and regulatory action amid bipartisan concern over data-driven price discrimination.

via Gizmodo|

#consumer-protection #data-privacy #ftc

business6 days ago•126 min saved

FTC pushes for price transparency as personalized pricing faces scrutiny

The FTC proposes rules requiring retailers to disclose if and how they use shopper data to vary prices, signaling a crackdown on personalized pricing amid consumer concerns. The article notes that electronic shelf labels generally don’t adjust prices per individual shopper, while industry groups argue such practices could erode loyalty. Several states have already banned personalized pricing, with others considering similar laws, and watchdogs say disclosures alone may be insufficient without stronger protections.

via AP News|

#business #consumer-protection #electronic-shelf-labels

law11 days ago•8 min saved

FTC Trims Protections Against Credit Discrimination in Auto Deals

The FTC signed settlements with Passport, Coulter Motor Company, and a former manager to drop parts of court orders meant to prevent unlawful credit discrimination in auto lending, and did not notify courts or coplaintiffs. The removed provisions would have banned race- or ethnicity-based pricing and required ongoing fair-lending training. Critics say the move undermines consumer protections and could enable discriminatory practices, while the FTC says it is moving away from disparate-impact theory in enforcement amid AI-driven lending shifts.

via WIRED|

#auto-dealers #discrimination #disparate-impact

politics20 days ago•23 min saved

FTC’s Woke AI Rules Spark Debate Over Censorship and Regulation

Truthout argues the FTC’s July policy proposal to curb ‘ideologically motivated distortions’ in AI is part of a broader Trump-MAGA push to shape AI outputs, potentially chilling editorial decisions, undermining First Amendment protections, and preempting state regulation while portraying DEI-influenced content as deceptive.

via Truthout|

#ai-regulation #free-speech #ftc

business28 days ago•2 min saved

FTC Probe Hits Shein’s U.S. Unit Ahead of Hong Kong Listing

Shein disclosed in its Hong Kong IPO filing that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission is investigating its U.S. business. The scope of the probe wasn’t disclosed, but the company says it is cooperating and that a settlement could entail material monetary payments. The FTC’s focus includes deceptive practices and “dark patterns” such as countdown timers used to spur purchases. Shein’s HK listing was approved and timing for trading remains unclear, with the company having previously pursued a U.S. listing before turning to London and Hong Kong.

via CNBC|

#business #consumer-protection #dark-patterns

business1 month ago•5 min saved

FTC Secures Real Right-to-Repair Protections for Farmers in Deere Deal

The FTC reached an antitrust settlement with John Deere that grants farmers enforceable, better-defined right-to-repair protections—including access to repair parts, tools, guides, and future resources, plus FTC oversight and the ability for farmers to sue Deere for repair-related harm. This is a major improvement over the Illinois class-action deal, which paid about $395 per farmer and relied on vague terms and weak enforcement, effectively curbing Deere’s monopoly without monetary damages for farmers.

via 404 Media|

#antitrust #business #farm-equipment

technology1 month ago•3 min saved

SCOTUS ruling tightens presidential control over the FTC, reshaping tech watchdog power

The Supreme Court ruled that the president can fire FTC commissioners, overturning Humphrey’s Executor and eliminating sustained bipartisan protection. This gives the White House greater influence over the agency’s decisions on consumer protection, online safety, and tech regulation—potentially impacting future AI oversight—while the FTC continues to operate under its statutory mandate but with reduced insulation from political pressure.

via Axios|

#ai-regulation #ftc #independent-agencies

business1 month ago•3 min saved

FTC Slaps Amazon with $2.25 Million Penalty for Blocking Identity Theft Victim Records

The Federal Trade Commission announced a $2.25 million civil penalty against Amazon for allegedly blocking or delaying identity theft victims from obtaining records of fraudulent transactions and failing to provide them within the 30-day period required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act; the proposed order requires timely access to records for victims and law enforcement, and notification to affected customers, with prior penalties in the company’s history related to privacy and other issues.

via BleepingComputer|

#amazon #business #fcra

politics1 month ago•4 min saved

Supreme Court expands presidential reach by allowing removal of FTC commissioners

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that presidents may fire Federal Trade Commission commissioners without cause, overturning Humphrey’s Executor and broadening executive control over independent agencies, a move praised by Trump and criticized by liberal justices and lawmakers as easing presidential power at the expense of checks and balances.

via CNBC|

#ftc #humphreys-executor #independent-agencies

politics1 month ago•20 min saved

SCOTUS splits on Trump’s firing powers; Fed independence preserved in separate ruling

The Supreme Court issued two major rulings on Monday: a 6-3 decision allowing Trump to fire an independent-agency official at the FTC, signaling a broader executive reach over independent agencies; a 5-4 ruling protecting Federal Reserve independence by requiring notice and an opportunity to respond before removing Fed Governor Lisa Cook. In a separate voting-rights update, the Court also allowed states to count mail ballots arriving after Election Day if they’re postmarked by Election Day, described as a narrow decision. Taken together, the rulings highlight ongoing tensions between presidential power, agency independence, and election rules.

via CNN|

#elections #federal-reserve #ftc

xr-industry-news2 months ago•5 min saved

Meta Spins Out Supernatural, Rebooting VR Fitness as an Independent Studio

Meta is spinning out Supernatural as an independent company called Supernatural Health. The current Supernatural app will wind down on December 3, and a new app is expected later this fall in Quest's Horizon Store, built by a smaller team with some of the original coaches back on board. Pricing is returning to the original $20/month ($200/year) after a Founding Member rate of $180 for the first year. Founders and coaches are departing from Meta, and the updated app will bring fresh workouts and features. The move follows Meta's 2021 $400 million acquisition of Within and a subsequent FTC antitrust case that was dropped in 2023.

via Road to VR|

#acquisition #ftc #meta

tech2 months ago•61 min saved

Trump Phone’s US-made claim meets a reality check

The Verge reports that the Trump Mobile T1 Phone isn’t actually made in the USA—it's reportedly assembled there with most components sourced abroad, and the FTC’s strict ‘made in USA’ rules require significant domestic processing. Industry sources say the U.S. lacks the necessary manufacturing infrastructure, equipment, and affordable labor for mass smartphone production today, making a fully domestic build unlikely in the near term, though the company has floated a gradual path toward more U.S.-made components in the future.

via The Verge|

#ftc #made-in-usa #t1-phone

business2 months ago•3 min saved

FTC Reveals Near-100 Dealer List Tied to Deceptive Car Pricing

The FTC published a list of nearly 100 car dealerships it says engaged in deceptive pricing, naming major groups (including AutoNation, Hendrick, Lithia) and about 85 distinct entities. The warnings cover practices such as hidden fees, rebates not available to all buyers, mandatory down payments, pricing tied to financing, and upselling unwanted add-ons. The Drive notes the public list serves as a warning to improve pricing transparency and invites readers to share their own bait-and-switch stories.

via The Drive|

#business #car-dealerships #consumer-protection

policy3 months ago•41 min saved

FTC penalizes Cox Media for falsely advertising phone-spying to target ads

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.

via The Verge|

#advertising #cox-media-group #ftc