Federal Trade Commission
FTC Charges Telemarketing Operation with Misleading Job Seekers and Making Millions of Illegal, Unsolicited Calls (Federal Trade Commission)
Submitted by Robbie McBeath on Fri, 04/12/2019 - 13:15
FTC Debunks the FCC's Favorite Excuse for Killing Net Neutrality
The Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission are very different in our mandates and our legal authority. The FTC is, principally, a law enforcement agency. It is not a sector regulator like the FCC. There are key differences between conduct prohibited by the FCC’s Open Internet Order, and conduct that the FTC can reach now with our antitrust and consumer protection jurisdiction. Antitrust law is sufficiently flexible and dynamic to cover a wide range of activities.
Office Depot, Tech Support Firm to Pay $35 Million to Settle Allegations They Tricked Consumers into Buying Computer Repairs (Federal Trade Commission)
Submitted by Robbie McBeath on Wed, 03/27/2019 - 21:33
FTC Seeks to Examine the Privacy Practices of Broadband Providers
The Federal Trade Commission issued orders to seven US Internet broadband providers and related entities seeking information the agency will use to examine how broadband companies collect, retain, use, and disclose information about consumers and their devices. The orders seek information about the companies’ privacy policies, procedures, and practices. The orders were sent to: AT&T, AT&T Mobility, Comcast Cable Communications doing business as Xfinity, Google Fiber, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Cellco Partnership doing business as Verizon Wireless.
FTC Crackdown Stops Operations Responsible for Billions of Illegal Robocalls
Four separate operations responsible for bombarding consumers nationwide with billions of unwanted and illegal robocalls pitching auto warranties, debt-relief services, home security systems, fake charities, and Google search results services have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they violated the FTC Act and the agency’s Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR), including its Do Not Call (DNC) provisions.
FTC Releases 2018 Privacy and Data Security Update
The Federal Trade Commission’s privacy and security enforcement actions in 2018 included shutting down revenge porn website MyEx.com, approving a settlement with peer-to-peer payment service Venmo over deceptive privacy settings, approving an expanded settlement with Uber Technologies to resolve data security and privacy allegations, and approving a privacy and data security settlement with mobile phone maker BLU Products, Inc. The FTC also obtained a $3 million
FTC Seeks Comment on Proposed Amendments to Safeguards and Privacy Rules
The Federal Trade Commission is seeking comment on proposed amendments to two rules that protect the privacy and security of customer information held by financial institutions. In separate notices to be published in the Federal Register shortly, the FTC is seeking comment on proposed changes to the Safeguards Rule and the Privacy Rule under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. The Safeguards Rule, which went into effect in 2003, requires a financial institution to develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive information security program.
FTC Extends Public Comment Periods for Privacy and data Security Sessions of its Hearings Initiative (Federal Trade Commission)
Submitted by benton on Wed, 02/27/2019 - 16:10
Largest FTC COPPA settlement requires Musical.ly to change its tune
The operators of the video social networking app Musical.ly, now known as TikTok, have agreed to pay $5.7 million to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations that the company illegally collected personal information from children. This is the largest civil penalty ever obtained by the Commission in a children’s privacy case. The Musical.ly app allowed users to create short videos lip-syncing to music and share those videos with other users.