On February 23, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division launched a joint public inquiry, inviting comments on whether new antitrust guidance for business collaborations is needed and what content such guidance should cover for “a range of collaborations utilized to drive innovation and promote competition in the
FTC Issues COPPA Enforcement Policy Statement Promoting Age-Verification Technology
On February 25, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released an important children’s privacy enforcement discretion statement: COPPA – Enforcement Policy Statement Promoting the Adoption of Age-Verification Technology. Age verification of minors is an increasingly hot topic in children’s privacy law, as several states recently adopted laws requiring companies to conduct age verification before…
Kids and Teens Privacy: 2025 Look Back and 2026 Predictions – Part I: The Federal Landscape
As we look back at key privacy developments during 2025, one thing is clear: it was all about kids and teens. That trend seems likely to continue in 2026. The problem is, while there are very real concerns about the impact of online content and social media engagements on young people, legislative solutions – well-intentioned…
FTC Warns 10 Companies to Comply with the Consumer Review Rule
In the midst of the busiest shopping season of the year, Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Commission) staff reminded companies of their obligations under the Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials (Consumer Review Rule). On December 22, 2025, the FTC announced that staff had sent letters to ten companies warning that they…
Countdown to COPPA Rule
The long-awaited updates to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act Rule (Final Rule) took effect on June 23, 2025, with a compliance deadline of April 22, 2026. With this fast-approaching compliance deadline, businesses should be actively working to update backend systems to meet the new requirements.
Read the full article here.
Amazon to Pay Record $2.5 Billion to Settle FTC Claims of Deceptive Prime Membership Signup and Cancellation Practices
Businesses making negative option or auto-renewal subscription offers, beware: Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Commission) enforcement is alive and well in 2025. Although the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit struck down the FTC’s much-criticized Biden-era “click to cancel” rule earlier this summer, on September 25, 2025 the FTC announced that Amazon.com, Inc.
UPDATE: Supreme Court to Revisit Humphrey’s Executor in December; Reinstatement of Former FTC Commissioner Slaughter Stayed Pending the Supreme Court’s Review
The latest development in the ongoing legal saga regarding the scope of presidential authority to fire officials at various independent federal agencies occurred on September 22, 2025, when the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS or the Court) granted a stay of the reinstatement of Rebecca Slaughter, a former commissioner at the Federal Trade…
Google Settles Children’s Privacy Class Action Lawsuit; Disney Settles DOJ Lawsuit and Faces Class Action
Google and two Disney companies recently settled lawsuits alleging that the companies violated children’s privacy laws, once again demonstrating a heightened interest in protecting children online and putting content creators and channel owners on notice that they will be subject to strict liability for violations of federal and state privacy laws. On August 18, 2025…
SCOTUS Stays Federal Appeals Court Order Reinstating Fired FTC Commissioner; Fourth Circuit Oral Argument on CPSC Firings Tentatively Scheduled
On September 8, 2025, once again, the question of the President’s authority to terminate, without cause, commissioners of independent agencies, was examined in federal court and appealed to the Supreme Court, and once again, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) overruled the court of appeals and granted a temporary stay of that court’s…
Match Group Fined $14 Million by FTC Over Allegations of Deceptive Practices
Internet dating apps, whose revenue is derived largely from subscription sales, have been the subject of concerns about marketing practices, including allegations that they used “fake” love interest ads to attract users and left customers vulnerable to scams, failed to make terms of service clear, and adopted onerous cancellation procedures. The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC…