There are generally two paths that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) takes for rulemaking. First, there may be a specific statute that gives the FTC specific rulemaking authority, such as the Children’s Online Privacy...more
Last week, the FTC and the Illinois and Minnesota Attorneys General brought suit against Deere & Company (Deere) challenging allegedly unfair equipment repair restrictions, which they claim resulted in higher equipment repair...more
On November 26, 2024, the FTC released a staff paper regarding the disclosure of the duration of the support for the software of connected consumer devices. As the FTC staff explained, if a manufacturer stops providing...more
On Tuesday, November 26, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) released a staff report examining the duration of software support commitments by manufacturers of 184 connected devices, ranging from “smart” phones to...more
The FTC’s Warning Letters - Earlier this month, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent eight companies warning letters regarding their warranty practices, alerting them that certain restrictive warranty language may violate...more
Welcome to Wiley’s update on recent developments and what’s next in consumer protection at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In this newsletter, we analyze recent regulatory...more
The FTC has issued warning letters to eight companies, accusing them of possibly imposing restrictions on third-party servicing of products in violation of the Magnusson-Moss Warranty Act (MMWA). The MMWA is a federal...more
The FTC sent warning letters to eight companies informing them that their warranty practices may violate the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (MMWA) by allegedly restricting consumers’ ability to repair their products....more
The FTC is focused on ensuring that consumers have options when it comes to repairing products. Two years ago, we summarized an FTC workshop, report, Policy Statement, and three settlements on this issue. Last week, the FTC...more
A federal court in Wisconsin recently granted a motion to dismiss all claims in a putative multi-district class action against motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson, asserting claims that the OEM’s warranty violated the...more
We love two-parters. Who shot J.R.? Who shot Montgomery Burns? Well, perhaps this one won’t be quite as much fun – but checking in on FTC rulemakings also warrants the two-parter treatment. ...more
It feels like it has been ages since we had one of those exciting public Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Commission) meetings. You may remember them – when the few remaining commissioners talked about issues and matters of...more
Earlier this week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held its informal hearing on the proposed amendments to the Negative Option Rule. Clearly on display was not only industries’ concern about the impact of the proposed...more
Manufacturers need to be careful in the New Year to start complying with new laws in New York and California expanding consumers’ right to repair certain products. California joined the right-to-repair movement with the...more
It has been just over two years since Lina Khan was appointed FTC Chair, and a hallmark of her tenure on the consumer protection side has been the enormous amount of rulemaking initiated by the agency. For a while, the agency...more
Individuals or businesses that operate online marketplaces should be aware of a new law that went into effect yesterday (Jun 27, 2023). The “Integrity, Notification, and Fairness in Online Retail Marketplaces for Consumers...more
New “Right to Repair” legislation worldwide seeks to extend product lifespan and increase circularity, thereby reducing premature waste. The legislation often aims to facilitate consumer and independent company repair of...more
Consumer Sues Pyrex Maker for False Made-in-the-States Claims - New class actions pick up where the FTC left off - Tempest in a Ten-Piece Glass Meal Prep Set - We love false made-in-the-USA claim narratives. They...more
For the 26+ years I served at the FTC, the agency always described itself as a “law enforcement agency,” not a “regulator.” That’s because the FTC spent most of its resources on enforcing the FTC Act and other laws passed by...more
The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) has shifted its attention to repair restrictions. We had a head’s up that the decade-long hiatus was ending. In its July 2021 policy statement and May 2021 report to Congress, the FTC made...more
Nearly 50 years after Congress passed the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, warranties are in the antitrust news again. The “right to repair” movement is clamoring for legislation to give consumers the right and ability to unlock,...more
95 Problems but Privacy Won’t Be One? The ANPRM lists ninety-five (95) data privacy and security-related issues about which the FTC seeks public comment—everything from the way that companies process consumer data to how...more
It’s late August, but there’s a lot going on at the FTC and in consumer protection news more generally. This blogpost highlights some recent FTC-related news, as well as several issues related to the FTC’s legal authority...more
Earlier this week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it was initiating a rulemaking to “crack down on harmful commercial surveillance and lax data security.” More specifically, the agency issued an...more