FTC Postpones Workshop on Attention Economy: Monopolizing Kids’ Time Online

The Federal Trade Commission is postponing a February 25 virtual workshop examining the use of design features on digital platforms aimed at keeping kids, including teens, online longer and returning more frequently. When a new date is chosen, the FTC will post…

FTC Surveillance Pricing Study Indicates Wide Range of Personal Data Used to Set Individualized Consumer Prices

The Federal Trade Commission’s initial findings from its surveillance pricing market study revealed that details like a person’s precise location or browser history can be frequently used to target individual consumers with different prices for the same goods and services. The staff…

Statement of Commission Regarding Snap Complaint Referral to DOJ

The Federal Trade Commission issued a statement regarding its referral to the Department of Justice of a complaint against Snap Inc., which operates the Snapchat application. During a closed meeting, the Commission voted 3-0-2 to authorize the issuance of the statement. Commissioners…

FTC Finalizes Changes to Children’s Privacy Rule Limiting Companies’ Ability to Monetize Kids’ Data

The Federal Trade Commission finalized changes to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule to set new requirements around the collection, use and disclosure of children’s personal information and give parents new tools and protections to help them control what data is provided to…

FTC Takes Action Against GoDaddy for Alleged Lax Data Security for Its Website Hosting Services

The Federal Trade Commission will require web hosting company GoDaddy to implement a robust information security program to settle charges that the company failed to secure its website-hosting services against attacks that could harm its customers and visitors to the customers’ websites.…

FTC Finalizes Order Banning Mobilewalla from Selling Sensitive Location Data

The Federal Trade Commission finalized an order banning data broker Mobilewalla Inc. from selling sensitive location data as part of a settlement with the company over allegations it sold such information without taking reasonable steps to verify consumers’ consent. In a complaint first announced in…

FTC Finalizes Order Prohibiting Gravy Analytics, Venntel from Selling Sensitive Location Data

The Federal Trade Commission finalized an order prohibiting Gravy Analytics and its subsidiary Venntel from unlawfully tracking and selling sensitive location data from users, including data about consumers’ visits to health-related locations and places of worship. In a complaint first announced last month, the FTC alleged…

FTC Finalizes Order Prohibiting IntelliVision from Making Deceptive Claims About Its Facial Recognition Software

The Federal Trade Commission finalized an order against IntelliVision Technologies Corp., settling allegations that the company made false, misleading, or unsubstantiated claims that its AI-powered facial recognition software was free of gender or racial bias. In a complaint, which was first announced in December, the FTC…

FTC Finalizes Order with Marriott and Starwood Requiring Them to Implement a Robust Data Security Program to Address Security Failures

The Federal Trade Commission finalized an order requiring Marriott International, Inc. and its subsidiary Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide LLC to implement a comprehensive information security program to settle charges that the companies failed to implement reasonable data security, which led to three…

FTC Sends Payments to Consumers Harmed by Vivint’s Misuse of Consumer Credit Reports

The Federal Trade Commission is sending payments totaling nearly $500,000 to consumers who were harmed by home security company Vivint Smart Homes, Inc., which allegedly misused credit reports to help unqualified customers get financing for the company’s products and services. Image The…