Tapplock settlement: Smart devices need smart security
By: Lisa Weintraub Schifferle | Apr 6, 2020 12:15PM
If your business makes “smart” devices, you’ll want to read about Tapplock’s settlement with the FTC. It’s one more example of why businesses in the Internet of Things (IoT) space need to think about privacy and security when designing connected products.
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What’s in a Name? Ask the Technology Enforcement Division
By: Patricia Galvan and Krisha Cerilli, Bureau of Competition | Oct 16, 2019 1:59PM
The Bureau of Competition is pleased to announce the conversion of the Technology Task Force into a permanent division in the Bureau of Competition. Effective October 1, 2019, it has become the Technology Enforcement Division.
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Technology Task Force looking for technology fellow
By: Patricia Galvan, Bureau of Competition | Aug 8, 2019 12:36PM
Are you a fast-learning, tech-savvy professional driven to use your expertise to help ensure that competitive technological innovation benefits consumers? Then the FTC may have a unique opportunity for you to work in Washington, D.C. alongside antitrust attorneys and economists probing the competitive dynamics driving today’s technology-driven online ecosystem.
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Who’s in the mix at Nixing the Fix?
By: Lesley Fair | Jul 9, 2019 2:11PM
Coldplay sang “Fix You,” but if the group had been referring to their tech devices, cars, or other products in need of repair, their efforts could have consumer protection ramifications. A July 16, 2019, FTC event, Nixing the Fix: A Workshop on Repair Restrictions, will focus on the state of the repair marketplace. Are manufacturers making it difficult (or even impossible) for consumers or independent shops to make product repairs?
Older adults hardest hit by tech support scams
By: Emma Fletcher | Mar 7, 2019 9:28AM
If the mere thought of your computer being hacked frightens you, you’re not alone. And tech support scammers know how to exploit that fear to their own advantage. They work to scare you into believing your computer is compromised and then offer to “fix” the problem – for a fee. The FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network got nearly 143,000 reports about tech support scams in 2018.1
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Turning up the volume on hearing care
By: By Tara Isa Koslov and Daniel J. Gilman, Office of Policy Planning | Apr 11, 2017 4:25PM
Chirping birds, babbling brooks, soft rain showers, and children gleefully playing outdoors – these sounds of spring bring us joy, especially after a long winter. But for the millions of Americans who have hearing loss, full enjoyment of these and other everyday sounds can be out of reach. Others might benefit from listening assistance in certain situations, such as in a noisy restaurant or while watching TV. For too many, even participation in a simple conversation can be difficult.
The not-so-big news about Big Data
By: Debbie Feinstein, Bureau of Competition | Jun 16, 2015 11:30AM
Everywhere these days, folks are talking about big data. (Apparently, even machines are talking amongst themselves using big data in an ecosystem called the Internet of Things.) Last week, Chairwoman Ramirez spoke about the privacy implications of the big data revolution, and specifically, about the FTC’s law enforcement efforts to protect consumer privacy from the risks associated with the collection and use of consumer data.
Promoting healthy competition in health IT markets
By: Tara Isa Koslov, Office of Policy Planning, Markus Meier, Bureau of Competition and David R. Schmidt, Bureau of Economics | Oct 7, 2014 10:30AM
The FTC has been a consistent proponent of competition in health care markets, utilizing our full range of study, advocacy, and enforcement tools. We are equally proud of our track record in promoting innovation and responding to new technological developments throughout our 100-year history.
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