Federal Trade Commission

Christine Wilson was sworn in Sept 26 as a Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission. President Donald Trump named Wilson to a term that expires on Sept. 25, 2025. Wilson previously served at the FTC as Chairman Tim Muris’ Chief of Staff during the George W. Bush Administration, and as a law clerk in the Bureau of Competition while attending Georgetown University Law Center. In between her periods of service at the FTC, Wilson has practiced competition and consumer protection law both at law firms and as in-house counsel.

Commissioner Maureen K. Ohlhausen announced her departure from the Federal Trade Commission upon the expiration of her term Sept 25. Ohlhausen was sworn in as a Commissioner on April 4, 2012, and served as Acting Chairman of the agency from January 25, 2017 to May 1, 2018. Commissioner Ohlhausen previously served the FTC in various capacities, including four years as the Director of the Office of Policy Planning.  During her time leading the agency, the FTC was highly active in efforts to protect consumer privacy and promote data security.

The Federal Trade Commission is sending out 22,671 refund checks to people who lost money to a mobile cramming operation that placed tens of millions of dollars in charges on their mobile phone bills without their permission. The refunds stem from a major FTC crackdown first announced in 2013. As part of the scheme, the defendants sent text messages containing celebrity gossip alerts, horoscopes, or “fun facts” to consumers and placed monthly subscription fees for these “services” on their mobile phone bills without their authorization.

The Federal Trade Commission will hold the second session of its 21st Century Hearings initiative with a full-day event on Sept 21 at the FTC’s Constitution Center facilities in Washington (DC). The event will be webcast live. FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter will make opening remarks. Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz will deliver an opening address on the state of competition in the United States, and former FTC Chairman William E. Kovacic will deliver remarks on the evolution of US antitrust law.

Our upcoming hearings provide an important opportunity for the Federal Trade Commission to reflect on ways to increase the effectiveness of our enforcement of the antitrust laws.