President Donald Trump fired two Democratic commissioners serving on the Federal Trade Commission, the regulatory agency overseeing antitrust and consumer protection laws and which has been traditionally independent and staffed by members of both political parties.
Oscar Gonzalez
Oscar Gonzalez is a freelance writer and editor who covers tech, misinformation, business, and the stock market. He's written for Gizmodo, CNET, TheStreet, CBS, and NBC.
Email: oscar.gonzalez@complianceweek.com
LinkedIn: Follow
Posted inRegulatory Enforcement
Interim DOJ Civil Division head nominated to take on full role
President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Brett Shumate, the current acting head of the Civil Division at the Department of Justice, to assistant attorney general of the division. Shumate’s nomination to the arm of the DOJ that primarily handles civil cases comes at a time when Trump’s administration has been signaling a shift in its enforcement priorities.
Posted inRegulatory Enforcement
DOJ orders Lockheed Martin to pay $30M over defective pricing on F-35 contracts
The Department of Justice announced it reached a settlement with Lockheed Martin stemming from allegations of “defective pricing on contracts for F-35 military aircraft.” The deal comes days after Attorney General Pam Bondi was confirmed by the Senate, which will shift the DOJ’s focus away from white-collar misconduct.
Posted inRegulatory Enforcement
CFPB issues $2.5M penalty against Wise in last action of Chopra era
A fine by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) against the U.S arm of London-based foreign exchange company Wise could be one of the agency’s final actions as a new regulatory regime reportedly froze rules and litigation amid calls for defunding.
Posted inAccounting & Auditing
CPSC fines Google-owned Fitbit $12M for failing to report smartwatch burn hazard
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission ordered Google-owned Fitbit to pay more than $12 million and comply with certain undertakings to settle allegations the company knowingly failed to report a serious burning hazard with its Ionic smartwatches.
Posted inData Privacy
Trump gives TikTok 75-day reprieve after ban goes into effect
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday delaying the Department of Justice (DOJ) from enforcing the long-awaited TikTok ban. While the social media platform’s fate is still up in the air, Trump signaled his support for it being sold, with the U.S. as a “partner.”
Posted inRegulatory Policy
FDA bans Red No. 3 dye after decades of concerns over possible health risks
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday it has revoked authorization for color additive Red No. 3 from food, beverages, and drugs. Health concerns over dye have existed since it was banned from cosmetics in 1990 after it was found that large doses led to the development of cancer in lab rats.
Posted inTechnology
White House, BIS attempt to strengthen AI chip export controls in final days of Biden presidency
In tandem with the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security, the Biden administration issued a new rule on export controls of domestically produced artificial intelligence chips.
Posted inEthics & Culture
Google’s fate under Trump could be a sign of antitrust battles to come in 2025
As Donald Trump begins his transition to become president, there are questions about the fate of tech companies, as well as regulators from multiple administrations. Google in particular is fighting a high-profile antitrust ruling after an investigation started by Trump in 2020 could be resolved in his next administration.
Posted inRegulatory Enforcement
DOJ recommends Google sell Chrome browser to break up monopoly
Three months after a U.S. district judge declared Google to be running a monopoly, the Department of Justice recommended the tech giant be forced to sell off its popular Chrome browser as part of an effort to resolve antitrust concerns and reshape the power of tech’s biggest companies.
