Business Blog

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines. The FTC and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have announced the agenda for their joint workshop on the consumer privacy and security implications of connected cars. If this emerging tech issue is of interest to your clients, race to Washington (within the lawful speed limit, of course) to attend the event on Wednesday, June 28, 2017.

With schedules changing as frequently as they do, we can’t be sure what’s on tap for tomorrow. But we already know where we’ll be on Wednesday, February 28, 2018. We’ll be at the FTC’s third PrivacyCon – a gathering of researchers, academics, industry members, consumer advocates, and government representatives talking about the privacy and security implications of emerging technologies.

The FTC’s law enforcement action against Amazon for unauthorized billing recently settled, leaving two key takeaways: 1) Consumers are eligible for more than $70 million in refunds; and 2) Businesses need to get customers’ express consent before placing charges on their credit or debit cards.

Here’s the story of a database of sensitive consumer information – names, addresses, phone numbers, email, and payment information – posted on a site frequented by (among others) hackers. It took just minutes before identity thieves tried to make unauthorized use of the information. But this tale of stolen credentials is full of surprises, including who posted the data.

You’ve probably heard about the ransomware attack affecting organizations’ computer systems around the world. Here’s the best thing your company can do to avoid it: Update your operating system and other software. Now.

When scammers and hackers attack small businesses, it hurts not only the businesses’ reputations and bottom line, but also the integrity of the marketplace. Today, FTC Acting Chairman Maureen Ohlhausen announced a new FTC website, FTC.gov/SmallBusiness, to help business owners avoid scams, protect their computers and networks, and keep their customers’ and employees’ data safe.

Here’s the thing about robots. Whether it’s Astro Boy, C-3PO, Optimus Prime, or Major Motoko Kusanagi from Ghost in the Shell, variations on the technology are often out there. The same could be said for robots’ less popular cousins, robocalls. A recent opinion from a United States District Court discusses the FTC’s Robocall Rule and serves as a reminder for telemarketers to mark May 19, 2017, on their calendars.

As any golfer will tell you, consistent follow-through is essential. And when the FTC files a lawsuit to protect consumers, the agency is in it for 18 holes – and a play-off, if necessary. Filed as part of Operation TELE-PHONEY, a nationwide crackdown on deceptive telemarketing, the FTC sued Publishers Business Services in 2008.

Silence may be golden, but not when it comes to contract clauses that would muzzle consumer complaints. That’s one message from an FTC settlement with the makers of NutriMost weight-loss products. Here’s another: don’t make weight-loss claims without scientific evidence to back them.