The Trend of Threatening Physicians for Personal Gain
(Podcast) The Briefing – Fake Reviews, Real Consequences: Consumer Review Dos and Don’ts
The Briefing – Fake Reviews, Real Consequences: Consumer Review Dos and Don’ts
The FTC’s Proposed Rule Banning Deceptive Reviews and Testimonials
Negative Online Reviews and Reputation Management: Tips for Health Care Practices and Providers
PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Trending Now: An IP Podcast - Advertising & Customer Engagement in the Digital Age - Customer Reviews and Response
How to Find the Identity of an Anonymous Author Online
II-36- Holiday Party Tips, the 2018/2019 Federal Regulatory Agenda, and Noteworthy Cases On Suing and Being Sued
Online reviews are critical to developing consumer trust, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has signaled it's ready to track down anyone trying to manipulate them. Consumer protection attorney Anthony DiResta breaks down...more
Cleaning cat litter can be a dirty business and, according to a new lawsuit, marketing litter boxes can be even dirtier. The maker of Meowant brand self-cleaning litter boxes filed a lawsuit against its rival PetPivot,...more
Bah, humbug! Certain advertisers received a lump of coal in their stockings from FTC staff. Right before the holidays, the Commission issued warning letters to 10 companies alerting them of potential violations of the...more
In August 2024, I wrote about the Federal Trade Commission's then-new Consumer Review Rule (Adieu, Fake Revie(u)w), which is designed to preserve the authenticity of online reviews and prohibit companies from suppressing...more
Companies would be wise to start the new year by reviewing their policies for compliance with the FTC Rule on Consumer Reviews & Testimonials, as warning letters sent by the Federal Trade Commission signal that this may be an...more
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued warning letters to ten companies for alleged deceptive review practices, indicating its intent to step up enforcement of its relatively new Consumer Review Rule (16 C.F.R. Part 465)...more
Consumers often rely on reviews to help them choose between everything from home repair companies to apartments to lawyers. When those reviews reflect honest feedback from real people who have actually used a product or...more
On December 22, 2025, the FTC announced that it had sent letters to ten companies warning them of potential violations of the agency’s Consumer Review Rule....more
The Commission’s Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials went into effect on October 21, 2024. The Rule addresses deceptive and unfair conduct involving consumer reviews and testimonials. You can review other...more
When the FTC proposed its consumer reviews and testimonials rule in 2023 (discussed here), it included a provision targeting so-called “review hijacking” — the practice of reusing reviews written for one product to promote a...more
The recent 2025 NAD Conference provided a deep dive into many areas of advertising law. While a few sessions discussed the obvious hot-button topic of the year—artificial intelligence—there were many other timely topics...more
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently announced a new action and proposed settlement with the telemedicine firm NextMed. The action, which may seem familiar to those who followed FTC advertising cases of years past,...more
This week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a settlement with NextMed parent company Southern Health Solutions, Inc., in response to allegations that the telemedicine platform offered deceptive claims and fake...more
Question: It was recently brought to my attention that a patient posted on the internet false and misleading information regarding treatment I provided to her. The posting also contains false and defamatory descriptions of me...more
Finalized last year, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Final Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials (the “Final Rule”) principally addresses the sale, purchase, and publication of fake online reviews and...more
The Federal Trade Commission is taking a hard look at marketing and advertising statements, making sure they are precise and accurate. Here are some key takeaways from recent enforcements:...more
FTC's Final Junk Fees Rule Narrowed in Scope - On December 17, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released its final Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees, commonly known as the "Junk Fees Rule." This final rule has a...more
Our team recently attended the ANA Masters of Advertising Law Conference and had the great fortune to hear Serena Viswanathan, associate director for the FTC’s Advertising Practices Division, discuss the Rule on the Use of...more
Once reviews are identified, a company can take steps to remove them. Generally, reviews can be removed in one of three ways: reporting the review to the FTC, reporting the review to the hosting platform, and pursuing legal...more
As we noted in a previous post, the FTC’s Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials, which went into effect on October 21, 2024, addresses deceptive conduct involving consumer reviews and testimonials and...more
Our Consumer Protection/FTC Team breaks down the newly effective Federal Trade Commission final rule prohibiting misleading online reviews....more
The Federal Trade Commission (the FTC or the Commission) voted on August 14 to approve its Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials (Final Rule). The Final Rule, which will be effective on October...more
The FTC recently announced a new rule to combat fake consumer reviews and testimonials. Scott Hervey and Jessica Marlow explain how this decision will impact businesses and the influencer marketing industry in this episode of...more
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has published a long anticipated Final Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials that prohibits certain practices the FTC deems misleading or deceptive, provides additional...more