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It sounds like there was some “inventing” going on at Florida-based invention promotion firm World Patent Marketing, but a Preliminary Injunction in a case brought by the FTC suggests it wasn’t the kind that unsuspecting consumers bargained for when they forked over millions of dollars based on the defendants’ misleading promises about patenting and promoting their products. For FTC watchers, the opinion is a page-turner from start to finish. We...

Your company has a killer concept for an innovative app or a connected product and you’re in that initial blue-sky-and-whiteboard stage. You’ll have lots of opportunities to develop your distribution chain, create eye-catching ads, and start the social media buzz. But there’s one task that can’t wait. Now is the time to start with security – and that includes applying sound security practices when developing new products. Tech experts will tell...

If you have any influence over influencers, alert them to three developments, including the FTC’s first law enforcement action against individual online influencers for their role in misleading practices. According to the FTC, Trevor Martin and Thomas Cassell – known on their YouTube channels as TmarTn and Syndicate – deceptively endorsed the online gambling site CSGO Lotto without disclosing that they owned the company. Law enforcement Counter...

The Wizard of Oz was right: “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.” That’s because according to an FTC settlement, computer company Lenovo should have been paying attention to the “man in the middle.” In this case, the “man in the middle” was preloaded ad-injecting software that put consumers’ personal information at risk from harmful man-in-the-middle attacks. When people first browsed a shopping site with their new Lenovo computers...

Ask a business person where their office is located and the likely answer is “everywhere.” They’re working from home, staying in the loop while traveling, and catching up on email between sales calls. For productivity’s sake, many companies give their employees – and perhaps clients or service providers – remote access to their networks. Are you taking steps to ensure those outside entryways into your systems are sensibly defended? If your...

The Hart Scott Rodino (HSR) Act and Rules require that parties to certain mergers and acquisitions submit premerger notification filings and wait before consummating the transaction. Parties must often balance the HSR filing requirement with a number of other regulatory requirements, as well as any conditions to closing. When planning an acquisition or merger, practitioners should pay attention to the specific timing parameters in the HSR Act, 15...

If you or your clients are in the tax preparation field, there are three letters you should focus on. OK, I-R-S may be the first thing on your mind. But as the FTC’s proposed settlement with TaxSlayer suggests, don’t forget those other important letters: G-L-B. Under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, “financial institutions” – more on what that means in a moment – must comply with the Privacy Rule and the Safeguards Rule. The Privacy Rule requires...

Who’s coming in and what’s going out? Businesses that want to stick with security build commonsense monitoring into their brick-and-mortar operations. Whether it’s a key card reader at the door or a burglar alarm activated at night, careful companies keep an eye on entrances and exits. Your computer systems deserve the same kind of watchful attention, which is why Start with Security advises you to segment your network and monitor who’s trying to...

According to the “Mad Men” stereotype, you could spot an old-school advertising agency executive by the tailored wardrobe and expense account lunch. A lot has changed in the ad game, but two truths remain: 1) More than 50 years of FTC cases establish that ad agencies may be liable for their role in deceptive campaigns; and 2) Companies that may not describe themselves as “ad agencies” may still be held responsible for illegal acts or practices...

You’ve heard about Newton’s laws regarding bodies at rest and bodies in motion. A 21st century corollary is to protect sensitive information when it’s at rest on your network and implement effective safeguards when it’s in motion – for example, when a customer transfers confidential data from their computer to your system. Careful companies take the advice of Start with Security by storing sensitive personal information securely and protecting it...