The Bottom Line Hollywood actor and producer Steven Seagal settled allegations brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that he failed to disclose the compensation he received for promoting investments in an initial coin offering (ICO) conducted by Bitcoiin2Gen Continue Reading
The Warnings Were Real: FTC Fines Teami, and Sends Letters to Influencers about Inadequate Disclosures
The Bottom Line Teami, LLC (Teami) agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charges that the company made false and unsubstantiated health claims regarding its tea and skincare products and hired influencers who failed to adequately disclose that they were being paid to endorse its Continue Reading
FTC Provides Guidance for Ed Tech Providers and Schools on Protecting Children’s Privacy while Remote Learning
The Bottom Line With many children’s schools having transitioned to online education, questions have arisen regarding the collection of children’s personal information by the online educational platforms that support remote learning. In response to these questions, the Federal Trade Continue Reading
Key Considerations for Retailers in the Face of COVID-19
The Bottom Line Retailers are facing unprecedented challenges in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. While some companies, such as wholesalers of essential household items and groceries, are experiencing a surge in demand, others, especially those that rely on a Continue Reading
Is the Influencer Landscape Going to Change? FTC Seeks Public Comments on Its Endorsement Guides
Update The Bottom Line The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently announced a review of its “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising” (Endorsement Guides) and that it is seeking public comments on whether changes need to be made to them. While the FTC has been Continue Reading
FTC Offers YouTube Channel Owners Guidance on COPPA Compliance
The Bottom Line As a result of the FTC’s action against Google and YouTube, YouTube channel owners will be required to designate whether their channels and content are “directed to children” under COPPA. The FTC’s recent guidance will help channel owners make this determination. This guidance is Continue Reading
The FTC is Drilling Down on Negative Option Marketing Practices
The Bottom Line While the FTC’s action against Match plays out in court, it is worth noting that the FTC last initiated a regulatory review of the Negative Option Rule over a decade ago in 2009. When the FTC completed that review in 2014, it concluded that amendments were not warranted because the Continue Reading
FTC Brings Actions Against the Sale of ‘Fake Indicators of Social Media Influence’ and ‘Fake Reviews’
The Bottom Line The FTC’s actions challenging the sale of fake social media indicators and online reviews are intended to deter others from polluting the online marketplace with deceptive and inaccurate information. It is important to reiterate that the FTC brought its actions against two chief Continue Reading
FTC Releases New Resources for Influencers
The Bottom Line The FTC’s brochure and microsite are new resources that will be helpful for both marketers training their influencers as well as to influencers themselves in making disclosures. This clear and practical guidance from the FTC should put all involved parties — including influencers Continue Reading
Law360 | FTC Settlement Over COPPA Will Change YouTube’s Biz Model
The Federal Trade Commission and the New York state attorney general made headlines earlier this month when they announced that Google LLC and its subsidiary YouTube LLC agreed to pay a record $170 million to settle allegations that YouTube collected personal information from children in violation Continue Reading