All FTC articles – Page 8
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Blog
DoJ, FTC: Preventing antitrust risk in hiring and pay decisions
HR professionals and others involved in hiring and pay decisions will want to look at new joint guidance issued by the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission. Jaclyn Jaeger has more.
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ArticleAssessing antitrust risk in M&A transactions
Top officials at the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission have announced their intention to focus heavily on M&A antitrust enforcement, at a time when merger activity is skyrocketing. Jaclyn Jaeger explores how the agencies plan to tackle some of the larger, more complex deals ahead.
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Blog
Volkswagen could spend $14.7 billion for cheating emissions tests
In two related settlements—one with the United States and the State of California, and one with the Federal Trade Commission—German automaker Volkswagen and related entities have agreed to spend up to $14.7 billion to settle allegations of cheating emissions tests and deceiving customers, the Department of Justice said. Jaclyn Jaeger ...
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Article
Former FTC Commissioner Brill on data security, privacy protections
Joe Mont speaks to Julie Brill, who for the past six years was among the FTC’s most influential commissioners and an important voice on internet privacy and data security issues. In April, she left public service to join the law firm Hogan Lovells as a partner and co-director of its ...
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Blog
FTC adjusts franchise rule’s monetary thresholds
The Federal Trade Commission is adjusting three monetary exemption thresholds in its Franchise Rule. The thresholds are used to determine whether the sale of a franchise qualifies for an exemption from the rule, which requires franchisors to disclose key information prospective buyers need to evaluate the risks and benefits of ...
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Blog
FTC to study credit card industry data security auditing
The Federal Trade Commission has issued orders to nine companies requiring them to provide the agency with information on how they conduct assessments of companies to measure their compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS).
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ArticleThink the FTC Isn’t Monitoring Big Data? Think Again
Companies that use Big Data analytics will want to carefully review a new report issued this month by the Federal Trade Commission, which warns companies about the sort of ethical, legal, and compliance risks they could encounter when using data analytics practices that fly in the face of consumer protection ...
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Blog
Dental Practice Software Provider to Pay FTC $250K for Misleading Customers About Encryption
Henry Schein Practice Solutions, a provider of office management software for dental practices, this week agreed to pay $250,000 to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it falsely advertised the level of encryption it provided to protect patient data.
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Blog
LifeLock to Pay $100 Million in FTC Case
LifeLock last month agreed to pay $100 million to settle Federal Trade Commission contempt charges that it violated the terms of a 2010 federal court order requiring the company to secure consumers’ personal information and prohibiting the company from deceptive advertising. The settlement represents the largest monetary award obtained by ...
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Blog
Wyndham Settles FTC Charges in Cyber-Security Case
Wyndham Worldwide this week agreed to settle charges with the Federal Trade Commission that the company’s security practices unfairly exposed the payment card information of hundreds of thousands of consumers to hackers in three separate data breaches. The FTC first filed the complaint against Wyndham in 2012 over allegations that ...
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Article
The Key Cyber-Security Question: What Is ‘Reasonable’?
Regulators often say they want “reasonable” precautions when spelling out expectations on cyber-security. But with a plethora of guidance and frameworks to consider, what does that mean—and does “reasonable” depend on industry and company size? A small summit meeting of cyber-security voices debated that question in Boston recently; we have ...
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Article
Preventing an FTC Cyber-Security Action
Image: A federal appeals court has upheld the Federal Trade Commission’s efforts to sanction companies for poor data security practices—which opens a new front of cyber-security compliance and legal risks for Corporate America. “Basically, if consumers trust you with data, you need to use reasonable business efforts to honor that ...
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Article
FTC Speaks on Antitrust; Leaves Many Confused
Image: The Federal Trade Commission has finally spoken (for the first time in 100 years) about how it defines the scope of its enforcement authority for anti-competitive business practices. The bad news: Its guidance is short reading and slim on specifics. The lack of detail “may have opened the floodgates ...
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Article
Avoiding the Pitfalls of Data Mining
In recent months, numerous companies have found themselves the target of legal and enforcement actions for obtaining or using personal data without consent. The kicker: Most of these actions could have been easily avoided, since most of the infractions were clear violations of contract law. “If companies simply complied with ...
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Article
Managing the Risky Business of Loyalty Programs
As the regulatory focus on data security expands, companies that offer customer loyalty programs should review them for red flags. How the data is stored, protected, and segmented is ripe for scrutiny, experts warn. Poorly designed loyalty programs could run afoul of antitrust laws, torpedo a merger, violate HIPAA, or ...
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Article
FTC, FDA Take Closer Look at Disclosures
The Federal Trade Commission is cracking down on companies with questionable advertising disclosures. The Food and Drug Administration, meanwhile, may allow shorter lists of side effects in drug and medical device ads, even as it prepares tougher standards for how these companies use online advertising and social media. The focus ...
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Blog
FTC Chair Warns of Internet of Things Data Privacy Concerns
Federal Trade Commission Chairman Edith Ramirez took to the floor of the International Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas last week to offer companies a warning about the “Internet of Things” and broadband-connected cars, wearable tech, and home appliances. Connected devices pose significant privacy and security implications, she said, urging ...
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Blog
FTC Finalizes User Privacy Charges Against Snapchat
Image: The Federal Trade Commission has approved a final order settling charges that Snapchat deceived consumers with promises about the disappearing nature of messages sent through the service. “If a company markets privacy and security as key selling points in pitching its service to consumers, it is critical that it ...
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Blog
Podcast: Navigating the Pitfalls of Geolocation Data
Uber, Snapchat, and Golden Technologies are the latest companies to come under fire for how they use the geolocation data they collect from their customers. In this week’s podcast, we talk to Fernando Bohorquez, a partner at the law firm BakerHostetler who specializes in privacy and data security issues, about ...
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Blog
Google Will Pay $19M to Settle FTC Complaints
The Federal Trade Commission has approved a final order resolving allegations that Google unfairly billed consumers for in-app charges that were made by children without their parents’ consent. Google will set aside $19 million in restitution and contact all all affected consumers within 15 days.