Consumer protection

Federal Trade Commission Seeks Public Comments on Improvements to the EnergyGuide Labeling Rule

Retrieved on: 
Friday, January 19, 2024
Comment, NPRM, Consumer protection, Federal Trade Commission, Commission, EnergyGuide, Federal, Television, ANPR, Register, Federal Register, Social media, News, Blog, FTC, Energy, Dietary supplement

The Federal Trade Commission is seeking public comments on proposed improvements to the Energy Labeling Rule to modernize and expand its coverage to help reduce energy costs for consumers.

Key Points: 
  • The Federal Trade Commission is seeking public comments on proposed improvements to the Energy Labeling Rule to modernize and expand its coverage to help reduce energy costs for consumers.
  • After considering the comments received, the FTC is now seeking comments on a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to help develop a final rule that would formally implement the proposed updates.
  • They also may submit comments in writing by following the instructions in the “Supplementary Information” section of the Federal Register notice.
  • The Commission is publishing a separate Federal Register notice containing routine updates to EnergyGuide labels for televisions.

Federal Trade Commission Seeks Public Comments on Improvements to the EnergyGuide Labeling Rule

Retrieved on: 
Friday, January 19, 2024
Comment, NPRM, Consumer protection, Federal Trade Commission, Commission, EnergyGuide, Federal, Television, ANPR, Register, Federal Register, Social media, News, Blog, FTC, Energy, Dietary supplement

The Federal Trade Commission is seeking public comments on proposed improvements to the Energy Labeling Rule to modernize and expand its coverage to help reduce energy costs for consumers.

Key Points: 
  • The Federal Trade Commission is seeking public comments on proposed improvements to the Energy Labeling Rule to modernize and expand its coverage to help reduce energy costs for consumers.
  • After considering the comments received, the FTC is now seeking comments on a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to help develop a final rule that would formally implement the proposed updates.
  • They also may submit comments in writing by following the instructions in the “Supplementary Information” section of the Federal Register notice.
  • The Commission is publishing a separate Federal Register notice containing routine updates to EnergyGuide labels for televisions.

FTC Action Leads to Ban for Ganadores Real Estate and Income Scam, its Owner, and Managers

Retrieved on: 
Friday, January 19, 2024
Online, Commission, Social media, Judgement, Mentorship, Blog, District court, Consumer protection, Federal Trade Commission, Investment, Marketing, Complaint, News, Contract, FTC, Orlando, Florida

“Ganadores scammed hard-working people with false promises of financial freedom, leaving many consumers with nothing but crushing credit card debt,” said Samuel Levine, the Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.

Key Points: 
  • “Ganadores scammed hard-working people with false promises of financial freedom, leaving many consumers with nothing but crushing credit card debt,” said Samuel Levine, the Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.
  • When consumers realized that Ganadores’ promises were false and sought refunds, the defendants often refused, telling consumers they had only three days to seek a refund.
  • The settlements include two proposed court orders: one order against the companies and Richard Alvarez and Sara Alvarez; and the other order against Bryce Chamberlain.

FTC Order Will Ban InMarket from Selling Precise Consumer Location Data

Retrieved on: 
Friday, January 19, 2024
Commission, Privacy, Social media, SDK, Advertising, Collection, Policy, Federal, Behavior, Data collection, Blog, Risk, Regulations.gov, Sale, Consumer protection, Federal Trade Commission, Marketing, Complaint, Register, Checkpoint, News, FTC, Online shopping

Data aggregator InMarket Media will be prohibited from selling or licensing any precise location data to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that the company did not fully inform consumers and obtain their consent before collecting and using their location data for advertising and marketing.

Key Points: 
  • Data aggregator InMarket Media will be prohibited from selling or licensing any precise location data to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that the company did not fully inform consumers and obtain their consent before collecting and using their location data for advertising and marketing.
  • Under the proposed order, InMarket will also be prohibited from selling, licensing, transferring, or sharing any product or service that categorizes or targets consumers based on sensitive location data.
  • Today’s FTC action makes clear that firms do not have free license to monetize data tracking people’s precise location,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan.
  • In addition to the ban on selling or licensing precise location data—a first for the FTC—the proposed order also requires InMarket to take several steps to strengthen protections for consumers.

FTC to Hold Informal Hearing on Proposed Rule Banning Fake Reviews and Testimonials

Retrieved on: 
Sunday, January 14, 2024
Consumer protection, Hearing, Federal Trade Commission, Commission, Federal, News, Register, Federal Register, Social media, Interactivity, Blog, FTC, Webcast

The Federal Trade Commission will hold an informal hearing on its proposed rule banning fake reviews and testimonials at 10 a.m.

Key Points: 
  • The Federal Trade Commission will hold an informal hearing on its proposed rule banning fake reviews and testimonials at 10 a.m.
  • During the hearing, which will be open to the public and available via webcast, three interested parties will provide oral statements addressing issues raised during the rulemaking process.
  • In response to the proposed rulemaking, three of the 100 commenters requested to present their positions at an informal hearing.
  • Follow the FTC on social media, read consumer alerts and the business blog, and sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts.

FTC Order Prohibits Data Broker X-Mode Social and Outlogic from Selling Sensitive Location Data

Retrieved on: 
Sunday, January 14, 2024
Record, Program, Commission, Privacy, Medicine, Social media, SDK, LLC, Social, Collection, Advertising, Android, Federal, Blog, Radius, Risk, Regulations.gov, Sale, Consumer protection, Federal Trade Commission, IDS, Pharmacy, Disclosure, Marketing, Complaint, News, Register, FTC

Data broker X-Mode Social and its successor Outlogic will be prohibited from sharing or selling any sensitive location data to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations that the company sold precise location data that could be used to track people’s visits to sensitive locations such as medical and reproductive health clinics, places of religious worship and domestic abuse shelters.

Key Points: 
  • Data broker X-Mode Social and its successor Outlogic will be prohibited from sharing or selling any sensitive location data to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations that the company sold precise location data that could be used to track people’s visits to sensitive locations such as medical and reproductive health clinics, places of religious worship and domestic abuse shelters.
  • Today’s action underscores the FTC’s strong commitment to restraining the collection, sale, or disclosure of consumer' sensitive location data.
  • This raw location data is not anonymized, and is capable of matching an individual consumer’s mobile device with the locations they visited.
  • X-Mode/Outlogic sells and licenses precise location data that it collects from third-party apps that incorporate its software development kit (SDK) into their apps, from its own mobile apps, and by purchasing location data from other data brokers and aggregators.
  • According to the FTC’s complaint, until May 2023, the company did not have any policies in place to remove sensitive locations from the raw location data it sold.

FTC to Hold Informal Hearing on Proposed Rule Banning Fake Reviews and Testimonials

Retrieved on: 
Sunday, January 14, 2024
Consumer protection, Hearing, Federal Trade Commission, Commission, Federal, News, Register, Federal Register, Social media, Interactivity, Blog, FTC, Webcast

The Federal Trade Commission will hold an informal hearing on its proposed rule banning fake reviews and testimonials at 10 a.m.

Key Points: 
  • The Federal Trade Commission will hold an informal hearing on its proposed rule banning fake reviews and testimonials at 10 a.m.
  • During the hearing, which will be open to the public and available via webcast, three interested parties will provide oral statements addressing issues raised during the rulemaking process.
  • In response to the proposed rulemaking, three of the 100 commenters requested to present their positions at an informal hearing.
  • Follow the FTC on social media, read consumer alerts and the business blog, and sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts.