On September 13, 2021, President Biden nominated Alvaro Bedoya for Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to replace outgoing FTC Commissioner Rohit Chopra. Earlier this year, President Biden nominated Chopra to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). If confirmed, Bedoya would round out the slate of FTC commissioners and solidify the agency’s Democratic majority. Bedoya is the founding director of the Center on Privacy and Technology at Georgetown University Law Center, where he…

As the Labor Day weekend approaches, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) are warning U.S. entities to remain alert and protect against the rising incidence of ransomware attacks over holidays and weekends. A joint cybersecurity advisory issued on August 31, 2021 reviews recent ransomware attacks that occurred over holiday weekends, describes some of the tactics, techniques, and procedures commonly used by ransomware attackers, and offers some best practices…

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took the unprecedented step of removing one of the approved Safe Harbor organizations under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) for failing to provide effective monitoring and assessment of its member companies’ websites, as required under the COPPA Rule. Earlier this year, Commission staff warned Aristotle International, Inc., whose Safe Harbor program was approved in 2012, that it was concerned about Aristotle’s monitoring practices and was considering withdrawing approval.…

The Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU), a division of BBB National Programs, recently updated its Self-Regulatory Guidelines for Children’s Advertising. Important updates include: To align with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the Guidelines now apply to national advertising primarily directed to children under the age of 13 instead of under 12, regardless of the medium involved. The Guidelines outline criteria used to assess whether a national ad is primarily directed to children.…

The circular economy. Sustainability. Single-use plastics bans. Marine litter. Microplastics. Climate change. These are only some of the issues driving the demand for more “environmentally friendly” products. In recent years, we have seen a surge in product and raw material innovations designed to improve environmental performance, and companies around the world are pledging to take action to reduce their environmental impact. These product developments and business commitments encourage marketers to differentiate their offerings and operations…

Goods advertised as “Made in the USA” (MUSA) are potential money-makers for manufacturers tapping into the market of consumers who seek home-grown products. In recent years, however, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has investigated companies that deceptively marketed their goods as American-made, sending out warning letters, closing out investigations of companies that quickly change their advertising, and initiating more forceful enforcement action against advertisers who cannot substantiate MUSA claims. The FTC now has an additional…