The Federal Trade Commission today issued a report that examines the incidence ofsexually and violently explicit content in online virtual worlds. The congressionally mandated report, “Virtual Worlds and Kids: Mapping the Risks,” urges operators of virtual worlds to take a number of steps to keep explicit content away from children and teens, and recommends that […]
Monthly Archives: December 2009
FTC Sues to Stop Robocalls With Deceptive Credit Card Interest-Rate Reduction Claims
The Federal Trade Commission today announced its second major law enforcement effort this year targeting telemarketers who violated the Do Not Call Rule and other laws by making hundreds of thousands or even millions of pre-recorded robocalls to consumers. The cases announced today target three groups that allegedly made robocalls to sell worthless credit-card interest-rate […]
FTC Files Comment with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission About How to Improve Transmission Line Planning; FTC Approves BASF SE Request to Sell Parts of Cibas Pigment Business to Dominion Colour Corporation
FTC Files Comment with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission About How to Improve Transmission Line Planning The Federal Trade Commission has provided U.S. energy regulators with its views about how to improve regional planning for new power transmission lines and how to allocate the costs of new transmission lines. In a reply comment submitted to the […]
FTC Warns World Cup Soccer Fans: Watch Out for Ticket Scams
In conjunction with the organizers of the World Cup, the Federal Trade Commission is warning soccer fans that they could become victims of scams. In some cases, Web sites that offer tickets for sale are run by con artists who don’t really have tickets. In other cases, consumers buy “tickets” and travel to the World […]
Seasons Tweetings! Tips to Share for Happy Holiday Shopping
For Your Information December 4, 2009 Just in time for the holiday shopping season, the Federal Trade Commission has 12tweets about watching your wallet, shopping wisely, and protecting your personal information. If you tweet or update your status on a social networking page, the FTC hopes you’ll postone of these short messages about keeping the […]
FTC Approves Amended Complaint in Matter of Grant Writers, LLC
The Commission has approved an amended complaint in the matter currently pending against Grant Writers Institute, LLC and its related entities. The FTC’s original complaint, announced in October 2009, charged the defendants with falsely telling consumers that they were eligible for grants as part of the government’s recently announced economic stimulus package. The FTC filed […]
FTC Testifies on Aggressive Efforts Against Deceptive Marketing of Prepaid Phone Cards
The Federal Trade Commission today told the U.S. House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection of the Committee on Energy and Commerce that the FTC has cracked down on the deceptive marketing of prepaid phone cards, and that pending legislation would benefit consumers by giving the agency stronger tools to combat the problem. Lois […]
FTC Renews Call to Entertainment Industry to Curb Marketing of Violent Entertainment to Children
Marketers of violent music, movies, and video games can do more to restrict the promotion of these products to children, according to the seventh in a series of Federal Trade Commission reports on marketing violent entertainment to children. “The Commission has been reviewing and reporting on the movie, music, and video game industries’ advertising and […]
FTC To Host Privacy Roundtable
For Your Information December 3, 2009 WHAT: The Federal Trade Commission will host the first of three public Roundtables to explore the privacy challenges posed by technology and business practices that collect and use consumer data. This first roundtable will focus on the benefits and risks of information-sharing practices, consumer expectations regarding such practices, behavioral […]
FTC Order Ensures Future Competition for Parkinsons and Chemotherapy Drugs That Watsons Acquisition of Arrow Would Have Eliminated
The Federal Trade Commission today announced a proposed consent order settling charges that Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc.’s acquisition of Robin Hood Holdings Limited, owner of Arrow Pharmaceuticals, would have harmed consumers by eliminating future competition for important generic drugs used to treat Parkinson’s disease (cabergoline) and the side effects of chemotherapy (dronabinol). The Commission’s order requires […]