The Federal Trade Commission just updated its Health Breach Notification Rule to revise definitions and clarify its coverage to include developers of health mobile apps and other technology. The rule, which requires vendors to notify affected consumers and the FTC following a data breach affecting personal health records, also requires additional information in notices to […]
Author Archives: Christine Hines
For awhile now, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been scrutinizing the role and responsibilities of data brokers in collecting and selling consumers’ personal data. In a message at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy this week, CFPB Director Rohit Chopra said that a proposed rule to provide greater oversight of third-party […]
Texas federal courts (and the Fifth Circuit) have become the go-to venues for industry groups to file legal challenges against recently released federal regulations. But yesterday, the District Court for the Northern District of Texas transferred Chamber of Commerce v. Consumer Fin. Prot. Bureau – a case where the Chamber and others are contesting the […]
The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice back changes to copyright rules that would give consumers’ more legal room to either repair products themselves or hire independent businesses to fix them. In a press release, the FTC announced that the agencies issued a joint comment in response to the U.S. Copyright Office’s rulemaking […]
During this National Consumer Protection Week, many offices of state attorneys general released their annual list of top 10 consumer complaints received over the last year. The lists present broad categories for received complaints, such as automobile sales, Internet sales/scams, retail, professional or consumer services, banking and loans, health/medical, home improvement, and housing/real estate. Some […]
Noteworthy news from this week: the Legal Aid Society in New York City sued the city and its mayor to force them to implement new laws that expand eviction protections for residents vulnerable to homelessness. The Legal Aid Society filed a class action on behalf of New Yorkers eligible for a new program that provides […]
This week marked the end of an extended public comment period for the Federal Trade Commission’s proposed rule to rein in unfair and deceptive fees across the marketplace. Notably, 19 state attorneys general submitted a joint letter of support for the FTC’s proposal. The Commission proposes to address bait-and-switch pricing structures to prevent business from […]
It’s Identity Theft Awareness Week, Jan. 29-Feb. 2. The Federal Trade Commission says this week it “will host free podcasts, webinars, Facebook Live interviews, and other events focused on avoiding and recovering from identity theft and spotting scams.” Join the FTC in spreading helpful information for consumers on social media.
In a recent blog post, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau offered a quick overview of its 2023 enforcement work. The agency reported that it filed 29 enforcement actions against financial institutions and resolved six prior lawsuits. Lenders, banks, and other entities that broke the law were ordered to pay approximately $3.07 billion to consumers and […]
The Federal Trade Commission issued an order delaying the effective date of the recently released rule that seeks to provide protections for car buyers against some of the more prevalent deceptive practices in car sales. The Combating Auto Retail Scams (CARS) rule, originally set to become final on July 30, is now pushed back pending […]