MarketWatch: FTC antitrust suit against Facebook could come by year’s end. “The Federal Trade Commission is preparing a possible antitrust lawsuit against Facebook Inc. that it could file by the end of the year, according to people familiar with the matter, in a case that would challenge the company’s dominant position in social media.”
FTC
ProPublica: The FTC Is Investigating Intuit Over TurboTax Practices
ProPublica: The FTC Is Investigating Intuit Over TurboTax Practices. “The FTC probe, run out of the commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, centers on whether Intuit violated the law against unfair and deceptive practices in commerce. One focus of the investigation is whether TurboTax marketing misdirected customers who were eligible to file their taxes for free into paid products.”
Politico: Trump pressures head of consumer agency to bend on social media crackdown
Politico: Trump pressures head of consumer agency to bend on social media crackdown. “President Donald Trump has personally pushed the head of the Federal Trade Commission to aid his crusade against alleged political bias in social media, according to two people familiar with the conversations — an unusually direct effort by a president to bend a legally independent agency to his agenda.”
Politico: Zuckerberg interviewed by FTC as part of antitrust probe into Facebook
Politico: Zuckerberg interviewed by FTC as part of antitrust probe into Facebook. “Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified this week at a Federal Trade Commission investigative hearing as part of the agency’s antitrust investigation into the social network, according to three people familiar with the case. FTC staff often interview witnesses under oath as part of their investigations in a process similar to a deposition and nearly always in cases they expect to lead to a lawsuit. The people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the confidential nature of the probe, said the step doesn’t necessarily signal that the agency will ultimately pursue an antitrust lawsuit.”
Business Insider: Twitter could be facing an FTC fine of up to $250 million over allegations that it violated an agreement over user data privacy
Business Insider: Twitter could be facing an FTC fine of up to $250 million over allegations that it violated an agreement over user data privacy. “Twitter disclosed in a regulatory filing Monday that it is under investigation by the Federal Trade Commission related to allegations that it violated a 2011 consent agreement — and that it’s expecting a ‘probable loss’ of somewhere between $150 million and $250 million.”
New York Times: F.T.C.’s Facebook Investigation May Stretch Past Election
New York Times: F.T.C.’s Facebook Investigation May Stretch Past Election. “Nearly a year ago, Joseph J. Simons, the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, predicted his agency would wrap up an antitrust investigation of Facebook by the presidential election. That goal now seems virtually impossible, according to numerous people with knowledge of the inquiry. Instead, it will probably roll into next year, when there may be a new president choosing its leader. The change could alter the commission’s priorities.”
CNET: Facebook executives could be deposed by FTC in antitrust probe, report says
CNET: Facebook executives could be deposed by FTC in antitrust probe, report says. “Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg could be asked by the Federal Trade Commission to provide sworn legal testimony as part of a yearlong antitrust probe conducted by the agency, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.”
Security Magazine: FTC launches new online tool for exploring military consumer data
Security Magazine: FTC launches new online tool for exploring military consumer data. “The Federal Trade Commission launched a new tool that explores data about problems military consumers may experience in the marketplace. For the first time, data about reports the FTC has received from active duty service members and veterans will be available online in an interactive dashboard.”
CNET: Pandemic purchases lead to surge in online shopping complaints, FTC says
CNET: Pandemic purchases lead to surge in online shopping complaints, FTC says. “As people rushed to buy supplies online during the coronavirus pandemic, not all shoppers got what they ordered, the US Federal Trade Commission said in a blog post Wednesday. Online shopping complaints about goods that never arrived surged in April and May, said the FTC.”
Bloomberg Quint: Google, Facebook Would Face FTC Over Policies in Democratic Bill
Bloomberg Quint: Google, Facebook Would Face FTC Over Policies in Democratic Bill. “A top Democratic lawmaker wants to empower the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to take action against Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Facebook Inc., among other technology platforms, if they fail to remove content that violates their terms of service and community standards.”
CNET: FTC warns of COVID-19 contact tracing text message scams
CNET: FTC warns of COVID-19 contact tracing text message scams. “The Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday warned the public about scammers taking advantage of contact tracing to steal your information. Contact tracers are generally hired by a state’s department of public health. If a tracer contacts you, they won’t ask for personal information. If the person contacting you is asking for money or sensitive information like your Social Security number, bank account or credit card number, it’s a scam.”
The Verge: The FTC is cracking down on influencer marketing on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok
The Verge: The FTC is cracking down on influencer marketing on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. “Commissioner Rohit Chopra called for tougher penalties on companies that disguise advertising on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok as authentic reviews in a statement sent out Wednesday. The statement came after the FTC voted 5-0 to approve a Federal Register notice that would seek public comment on whether Endorsement Guides for advertising (which haven’t been updated since 2009) need to be reviewed, according to TechCrunch.”
CNET: FTC orders Apple, Google, other tech giants to hand over acquisition info
CNET: FTC orders Apple, Google, other tech giants to hand over acquisition info. “The US Federal Trade Commission said Tuesday that it sent special orders to five tech giants — Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Google and Microsoft — requiring them to turn over detailed information about past acquisitions. The FTC said it’ll review the information to ‘examine trends in acquisitions,’ including how firms report transactions and whether companies are making potentially anticompetitive moves.”
The Verge: Unroll.me settles with FTC after falsely claiming it didn’t collect and sell email data
The Verge: Unroll.me settles with FTC after falsely claiming it didn’t collect and sell email data. “Before this year’s blockbuster Superhuman scandal, in which the email app maker was caught providing a non-consensual read receipt feature to its users, there was the Unroll.me controversy. It erupted two years ago, when it was discovered the popular email cleanup tool was collecting information on user purchases and handing it over to its parent company, Slice Technologies, to sell as part of an analytics tool.”
The Next Web: FTC might put the brakes on Facebook’s plans to merge messaging apps
The Next Web: FTC might put the brakes on Facebook’s plans to merge messaging apps. “A new report suggests the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) might file an injunction against Facebook, to keep it from integrating its messaging apps together. Doing so might make it harder to break up the company — which the FTC is reportedly considering.”
