On May 4, the Federal Trade Commission announced that it had reached a settlement with Very Incognito Technologies, Inc., d/b/a Vipvape, a hand-held vaporizer manufacturer. The settlement resulted from the FTC’s allegations that Vipvape violated the FTC Act by representing on its website that it was a participant in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Cross-Border Privacy
FCC Releases Proposed Rule Requiring Internet Service Providers to Comply with New Privacy Obligations
On April 1, the Federal Communications Commission issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (“NPRM”) that would require Internet service providers (“ISPs”) to clearly disclose how customer data is being used, take reasonable steps to protect that information, and notify affected customers within 10 days of discovering a data breach. The NPRM — formally approved by
FTC Commissioner Brill to Resign
Commissioner Julie Brill with the Federal Trade Commission recently announced that she will step down at the end of this month to enter private practice.
Brill was appointed by President Obama and sworn in on April 6, 2010. Prior to joining the FTC, Brill was the Senior Deputy Attorney General and Chief of Consumer Protection
Join Us at the National Association of Professional Background Screeners 2016 Mid-Year Legislative & Regulatory Conference
Join Troutman Sanders partners David Anthony and Ashley Taylor at the upcoming National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) Mid-Year Legislative & Regulatory Conference at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park in Washington, DC on April 3-5.
The NAPBS Mid-Year Conference focuses on regulation, legislation, education, and compliance related to the background screening industry and,
Debt Collection Complaints Top List of FTC’s Annual Report Regarding Consumer Complaints
In the FTC’s annual report detailing consumer complaints, complaints against debt collectors topped the list for the first time in 15 years.
The FTC received more than 3 million complaints in 2015. That’s up from 2.5 million in 2014. Some of the increase can be attributed to the fact that more people know to
FTC Looks to Purchased Search Terms in Deceptive Advertising Complaints
Businesses engaged in web-based advertising should pay careful attention to two recent actions by the Federal Trade Commission indicating the Commission is closely scrutinizing online marketing practices.
One action involved Lumos Labs, Inc., the owner of the online “brain game” portal Lumosity; the other involved Stratford Career Institute, an online school purporting to offer high
FTC and Maine Attorney General Action Against Weight Loss Supplement Sellers Results in Joint $16.4 Million Settlement
The FTC and Maine Office of the Attorney General recently announced a joint settlement with two Portland–based sellers of weight loss supplements. The joint complaint filed in the United States District Court for the District of Maine alleged that Anthony Dill, his wife Staci Dill, and their two companies, Direct Alternatives and Original
ASUS Settles with FTC Over Router Security
In February, the FTC settled claims against Taiwan-based computer hardware maker ASUSTek Computer, Inc. over allegations the company misled consumers about the security of its routers and cloud services. ASUS routers are used primarily in private homes to establish internet connections for personal devices such as laptops, tablets, and phones. The cloud services were provided
Payment Processor Charged with Participating in Telemarketing Scheme Settles with FTC
The Federal Trade Commission announced today that it had agreed to settle charges against Capital Payments LLC (now known as Bluefin Payment Systems, LLC), for its alleged involvement with The Tax Club, a group of entities engaged in fraudulently telemarketing development services, including business formation, counseling, credit development, and marketing to individuals seeking to establish
FTC Unveils Upgrades to IdentityTheft.gov
The Federal Trade Commission recently unveiled significant enhancements to its online portal designed to help victims recover from identity theft. Victims can now file a complaint with the FTC at identitytheft.gov and get a free, personalized identity theft recovery plan. The upgraded site comes in response to an October 2014 executive order issued by President