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By: Keller Heckman

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Azim Chowdhury
Boaz Green
Christopher Van Gundy
Douglas Behr
Peter de la Cruz
Evangelia Pelonis
JC Walker
Lauryn Beer
Leslie T. Krasny
Keller and Heckman
Richard Mann
Sheila Millar
Tracy Marshall

Latest from Consumer Protection Connection

Sheila Millar and Boaz Green discuss CPSC’s activities in 2018 and give their predictions on possible agency actions in the coming year in the Law360 article “CPSC Is Shifting Toward Voluntary Standards” (Feb. 6). Law360 featured the article in its newsletter sections for Consumer Protection, Cybersecurity, and Product Safety. To read the full article, click here. For a pdf version of the article, click here. Partner Sheila Millar is a frequent contributor to…
On January 16, 2019, the White House re-nominated Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Acting-Chair Ann Marie Buerkle to be Chairman, and for another seven-year term as Commissioner. Acting Chair Buerkle was first nominated in July of 2017, and re-nominated in January of last year, but the Senate did not act on these nominations. The business community has been very supportive of Ms. Buerkle’s nomination. As Acting Chair, Buerkle has worked hard to secure funding for…
Any product purporting to be a panacea for a serious health issue needs serious evidence to back up such a promise. Take Nobetes, a dietary supplement touted as “the miracle product [diabetics have] been waiting for.” The company and its two principal officers claimed Nobetes lowered blood sugar and reduced the need for insulin. They even had a “doctor” endorse the product on TV. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) doesn’t believe in miracle products, however.…
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) settled an administrative lawsuit against Britax Child Safety, Inc. over claims that some models of their B.O.B. jogging strollers present a substantial product hazard due to an alleged design defect. As we previously reported, the suit was filed in February 2018 after reports that the front wheel of the strollers can detach during use if consumers don’t fully engage the quick-release mechanism for attaching the front wheels.…
Small businesses face the same cybersecurity risks as large multinationals but lack a large IT infrastructure to help protect themselves. At the direction of former Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Acting Chairman Maureen Ohlhausen, the FTC launched a new cybersecurity campaign aimed at helping small businesses navigate the ever-evolving cyber landscape, coordinated with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the Small Business Administration (SBA). More information about…
privacy 2
The recent passage of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPR) earlier this summer and the entry into force of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) last May has put consumer privacy squarely on the national agenda. Now there are signs that government is responding. While a number of privacy bills have been introduced in Congress that never made it out of committee, Senator John Thune (R-SD), the ranking Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee, recently…
This week has seen several significant changes at the Commission level at both the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). CPSC After several months of stasis, the Senate voted to confirm Peter Feldman as a Commissioner on the CPSC, with a term expiring October 26, 2019. Feldman takes the place of Joseph Mohorovic, who resigned in October 2017. The Senate is also expected to approve Feldman’s nomination for a second…
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has launched a collaborative effort to develop a voluntary framework that will help organizations manage privacy risks and protect consumer privacy when developing and using innovative technologies. According to NIST, a robust cybersecurity program can help manage risks, but organizations need customizable tools for addressing the challenges posed by an increasingly connected environment. The intent is to “bridge the gaps between privacy professionals and senior executives so…
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) approved modifications to the video game industry’s Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) program. Earlier this year, the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) proposed several substantive changes intended to take account of recent FTC COPPA rules and guidance. To receive FTC approval, COPPA safe harbor programs must “implement substantially similar requirements that provide the same or greater protections for children as those contained in the Rule; (2) an effective…
biodegradable
Environmentally conscious consumers often look for products advertised as “green.” But labeling plastic products as “biodegradable” may land you on the legal compost heap if you can’t meet federal and state regulations governing green marketing. Amazon was just the latest company to find itself in the crosshairs when 23 California district attorneys charged that it violated state law when it marketed and sold products labeled “biodegradable” or “compostable.” Amazon settled the lawsuit for $1.5 million.…