When two celebrity gamers endorsed an online lotto service, they didn’t gamble on the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) insistence they tell their fans they actually owned the business they were promoting. Now, Trevor Martin and Thomas Cassell, and their company, CSGO Lotto, Inc., have settled charges of deceptive advertising. This is the first case the
Dietary Supplement Company and its Endorsers Settle with FTC Over Deceptive Marketing Claims
Remember those ads from the 80s where an actor would start a medicine endorsement with the disclaimer: “I’m not a doctor, but I play one on TV”? A recent Federal Trade Commission (FTC) settlement order relating to the marketing of the dietary supplements CogniPrin and FlexiPrin is a good reminder about the importance of using
FTC Green Lights TRUSTe’s Proposed Safe Harbor Program Modifications
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has approved changes TRUSTe proposed to its safe harbor program several months ago under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Rule. The approved modifications include a new requirement that program participants conduct an annual internal assessment of third-parties’ collection of personal information from children on their websites or
Cybersecurity Update
As connected products are increasingly integrated into everyday life, measures to address the security of Internet of Things (IoT) devices continue to evolve. Some of the latest initiatives include the following.
NTIA issues guidance on cybersecurity communications
Last month, as part of an ongoing multi-stakeholder initiative, a working group of the National Telecommunications and Information
Internal Reforms Announced for FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection
The Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection is about to undergo reform, according to FTC Acting Chairman Maureen Ohlhausen. In a press release issued on July 17, the FTC stated that the changes are part of an ongoing initiative to simplify information requests and improve transparency that began last April, when Ohlhausen announced new
Regulatory Reforms Afoot at the FTC: Now’s Your Chance to Weigh in
As part of Acting Chair Maureen K. Ohlhausen’s regulatory reform initiative, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is asking for the public’s input on the Picture Tube, Textile, Energy Labeling, and CAN-SPAM Rules. The comments will inform the Commission’s decision on whether to update these rules.
- The Textile Rule obliges marketers of textiles to label their
What’s Happening at the CPSC
Acting Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Chair Ann-Marie Buerkle recently released an update regarding CPSC’s current projects, some of which involve stakeholder participation.
Mid-Year Adjustments
The Commission has approved its FY 2017 Mid-Year Review and Proposed Operations Plan Adjustments. Top priority has been given a project concerning improving the safety of lithium ion batteries. In
11 States Sue Department of Energy over Inaction on Efficiency Standards
Eleven states, led by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, and including the city of New York, a Pennsylvania regulator, and three nonprofit groups, have jointly filed suit in federal court to sue the Department of Energy (DOE). The lawsuit seeks to compel implementation of new and updated energy
CPSC Issues Safety Warning for LayZBoard Hoverboards
It is no secret that hoverboards – two-wheeled, battery-powered, self-balancing scooters – have proved enormously popular with kids and teenagers. But allegations regarding defective battery packs have triggered recalls. The latest hoverboard incident was associated with a fatal fire in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania last March.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) started an investigation into
Kawasaki Settles with CSPC for $5.2 Million for Alleged Failure to Report Defects
Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., of Japan; Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A., of Foothill Ranch, California; and Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corp., U.S.A., of Lincoln, Nebraska, agreed to pay a $5.2 million civil penalty over allegations that Kawasaki failed to report floorboards cracking during normal operation of various Teryx4 recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs) during two separate periods, which