Companies that care about avoiding Federal Trade Commission (FTC) action should take heed. Last month, the FTC announced an $8.5 million settlement with Care.com, resolving claims challenging its advertising claims and...more
In June 2024, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice jointly filed a complaint under the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA) in the US District Court for the Northern District of...more
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has made clear its focus on automatic renewal programs with high-profile lawsuits in recent weeks, alleging violations of the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act (ROSCA). Below are some...more
The California legislature recently renewed its efforts to regulate automatic renewal programs with proposed amendments to its Automatic Renewal Law (ARL). This development does not follow any lack of attention to this area...more
Last week, the FTC filed a civil case against Amazon alleging that the company used “dark patterns” to enroll people in its Prime program. The case continues a pattern initiated by FTC Chair Lina Khan of challenging...more
Over the last few years, perhaps prompted by the proliferation of subscriptions for consumer goods and services during the pandemic, several states have passed new automatic renewal laws (ARLs) that regulate continuing or...more
On March 23, the Federal Trade Commission announced proposed changes to its Negative Option Rule. This latest announcement appears to be another move by the Commission in its recent flurry of activities to ramp up its...more
1. Consumer Law Reforms - 2023 will see an increase in class action lawsuits targeting per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in consumer products as more PFAS-limiting laws go into effect. Specifically, we expect food...more
Mornings for advertising lawyers usually start slow – coffee in one hand and phone in the other while we glance at emails. Imagine our surprise the other morning when we saw that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) had issued...more
Remember that magazine you subscribed to years ago that comes once a month and usually winds up in the recycling bin? You probably didn't think you were subscribing to the magazine for the rest of your natural life but here...more
The law surrounding negative option and continuity programs continues to evolve rapidly. Feeling a bit overwhelmed with the latest developments? Below is what you need to know in light of new laws, new enforcement actions,...more
On Friday, the FTC announced what would ordinarily be an unremarkable enforcement action against a company for unsubstantiated earnings claims. The FTC alleges that WealthPress, an investment advice company purporting to...more
For years, the Federal Trade Commission has aggressively enforced the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act against digital marketers that offer Internet-based automatic renewals and subscriptions. In short, ROSCA requires...more
What's this about? Auto-renewing arrangements are more and more ubiquitous, from TV channel subscriptions to meal-kit delivery plans - and the regulators are interested. Late last year, the FTC and California took actions...more
With several new state laws effective in 2022, it is becoming increasingly difficult for businesses to develop baseline compliance protocols across federal and state automatic renewal laws. Against this backdrop, federal...more
The laws and rules governing automatic renewal programs continue to change on a regular basis. Over the past year, the Federal Trade Commission has announced a number of settlements and lawsuits enforcing the federal Restore...more
Businesses that allow customers to sign up for automatically renewing subscriptions must comply with a patchwork of state and federal regulations. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently issued an Enforcement Policy...more
On October 22, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) issued a policy statement providing further guidance on its enforcement of federal law with regard to negative option marketing. The FTC noted in an associated press release...more
We used to think of subscriptions as mostly for newspapers and magazines, but today you can subscribe to get cosmetics, cars, clothes, mental health counseling – even a curated selection of cat toys and treats that will show...more
New York has enacted a new law, effective February 9, 2021, regulating automatic renewal and some “free trial” type agreements. While some organizations may have already taken steps to be in compliance with industry...more
Earlier this month, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a $10 million settlement with the online learning company ABCmouse for allegedly violating the FTC Act as well as the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act...more
From streaming music and television to diaper and grocery deliveries, subscription services have become part of consumers’ daily life. However, while these subscription services — which enable customers to continue receiving...more