Federal Trade Commission

National

Still trying to quit that gym membership? The FTC is proposing a rule that could help

2:34pm March 23, 2023

by Rachel Treisman

The Federal Trade Commission gets thousands of complaints a year from customers trapped in memberships they don't want. Its "Click to Cancel" proposal aims to change that, Chair Lina Khan tells NPR.

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The FTC proposed a new rule banning noncompete agreements. Federal Trade Commission chair Lina M. Khan calls them exploitative and widespread.

Millions of workers are subject to noncompete agreements. They could soon be banned

3:13pm January 05, 2023

by Andrea Hsu

The Federal Trade Commission has proposed a new rule that bans the use of noncompete agreements, calling them an exploitative practice that suppresses wages and hampers innovation.

Intuit's 2018 homepage for TurboTax failed to adequately disclose the limits of the "free" offer, the Federal Trade Commission says.

Federal Trade Commission accuses Intuit of deceptively advertising TurboTax as free

4:11pm March 29, 2022

by Laurel Wamsley

In a court filing, the agency says that ads claimed TurboTax was "Free Guaranteed," but many people end up paying for the software to file their taxes. Intuit disputed the allegation.

The executive order unveiled Friday includes plans to make it easier for people to fix their phones or other equipment themselves.

Politics & Government

How New Biden Rules Could Make It Easier To Buy Hearing Aids Or Fix Your Phone

3:19pm July 09, 2021

In a new executive order, President Biden aims to kickstart competition for consumers, workers and farmers in ways both big and small, starting with a list of 72 initiatives.

Amazon, and eight other social media and tech companies, received orders from the Federal Trade Commission on Monday. They must hand over information on how they harness user data.

National

Amazon, TikTok, Facebook, Others Ordered To Explain What They Do With User Data

2:38pm December 15, 2020

by Jaclyn Diaz

The Federal Trade Commission gave nine social media and tech companies 45 days to hand over details on how they collect user data. It is the latest move by government actors to regulate Big Tech.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before a House Financial Services Committee hearing in 2019.

48 AGs, FTC Sue Facebook, Alleging Illegal Power Grabs To 'Neutralize' Rivals

10:02pm December 09, 2020

The state and federal officials say Facebook's acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram violated competition laws and served to stifle rivals by giving the social network an unfair advantage.

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The Federal Trade Commission has sent warning letters to several companies that marketed the drug thymosin alpha-1 as a purported treatment for COVID-19. The Food and Drug Administration has never approved the drug for any condition.

Federal Trade Commission Cracks Down On Unproven COVID-19 Treatment

4:36pm November 12, 2020

by Tom Dreisbach

The Federal Trade Commission issued warning letters to several companies that marketed an unproven drug to treat COVID-19. Sales of the nonapproved drug, thymosin alpha-1, were first reported by NPR.

Environment

Volkswagen, Porsche Paid Out $9.5 Billion To Defrauded Dieselgate Drivers

5:37pm July 27, 2020

by Camila Domonoske

The German automakers have finished compensating U.S. owners as part of a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission. Most drivers chose to replace their vehicles, not repair them, the FTC says.

According to a complaint by the Federal Trade Commission, YouTube marketed itself as a top destination for kids in presentations to the makers of popular children's products and brands.

Google, YouTube To Pay $170 Million Penalty Over Collecting Kids' Personal Info

5:28pm September 04, 2019

by Avie Schneider

Google and its YouTube subsidiary are settling allegations that YouTube collected personal information from children without their parents' consent, the Federal Trade Commission said.

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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on April 11, 2018.

Did Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Intend To Deceive?

7:04pm July 28, 2019

by Aarti Shahani

Regulators missed a chance to find out if deceptive practices at Facebook came from the top when they decided to enter into a settlement with Zuckerberg instead of questioning him, an FTC member says.

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