INSIDER
Lyft pays $2.1 million to settle case alleging the ride-hailing service deceived drivers
Read full article: Lyft pays $2.1 million to settle case alleging the ride-hailing service deceived driversLyft is paying $2.1 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the ride-hailing service of exaggerating how much money drivers could make while the company was trying to recover from a steep downturn in demand during the pandemic.
Tapestry, Capri file notice to appeal court decision blocking their $8.5 billion merger
Read full article: Tapestry, Capri file notice to appeal court decision blocking their $8.5 billion mergerTapestry and Capri Holdings have filed their notice to jointly appeal the decision by a U.S. District judge to temporarily halt the merger between the makers of Coach and Michael Kors handbags, according to a court filing Monday.
US agency adopts rule to make it easier for consumers to cancel unwanted subscriptions
Read full article: US agency adopts rule to make it easier for consumers to cancel unwanted subscriptionsThe Federal Trade Commission has adopted a rule that will require businesses to make it easy for consumers to cancel unwanted subscriptions and memberships.
Marriott agrees to pay $52 million, beef up data security to resolve probes over data breaches
Read full article: Marriott agrees to pay $52 million, beef up data security to resolve probes over data breachesMarriott International has agreed to pay $52 million and make changes to bolster its data security.
Judge rules the FTC can proceed with antitrust lawsuit against Amazon, tosses out few state claims
Read full article: Judge rules the FTC can proceed with antitrust lawsuit against Amazon, tosses out few state claimsA federal judge said the Federal Trade Commission can proceed with its landmark antitrust lawsuit against Amazon.
Amazon's $4 billion partnership with AI startup Anthropic gets UK competition clearance
Read full article: Amazon's $4 billion partnership with AI startup Anthropic gets UK competition clearanceBritain’s competition watchdog has cleared Amazon’s partnership with artificial intelligence company Anthropic because the $4 billion deal didn’t qualify for further scrutiny.
Invitation Homes agrees to pay $48 million to settle claims it saddled tenants with hidden fees
Read full article: Invitation Homes agrees to pay $48 million to settle claims it saddled tenants with hidden feesThe nation’s largest owner of single-family homes for rent has agreed to pay $48 million to settle claims by the Federal Trade Commission.
High insulin prices spur a federal lawsuit against three pharmacy benefit managers
Read full article: High insulin prices spur a federal lawsuit against three pharmacy benefit managersThe federal government is suing some pharmacy benefit managers over a system of drug rebates that regulators say has made the price of insulin soar for patients.
Kroger and Albertsons make a final pitch for their merger before a judge decides whether to block it
Read full article: Kroger and Albertsons make a final pitch for their merger before a judge decides whether to block itKroger and Albertsons have made their final argument in federal court in support of their proposed merger.
CEOs of Albertsons and Kroger says shoppers would see lower prices after merger
Read full article: CEOs of Albertsons and Kroger says shoppers would see lower prices after mergerThe chief executive officers of Kroger and Albertsons have insisted that merging would allow the two supermarket companies to lower prices and more effectively compete with retail giants like Walmart and Amazon.
Kroger and Albertsons defend merger plan in federal court against US regulators' objections
Read full article: Kroger and Albertsons defend merger plan in federal court against US regulators' objectionsA lawyer for supermarket chain Albertsons has told a federal judge that the company might have to lay off workers and close stores if its planned merger with Kroger isn’t allowed to proceed.
FTC's bid to ban noncompete agreements rejected by federal judge in Texas
Read full article: FTC's bid to ban noncompete agreements rejected by federal judge in TexasA federal judge in Texas has blocked a new rule from the Federal Trade Commission that would have made it easier for employees to quit a job and work for a competitor.
The US government wants to make it easier for you to click the 'unsubscribe' button
Read full article: The US government wants to make it easier for you to click the 'unsubscribe' buttonIn the name of consumer protection, a slew of U.S. federal agencies are working to make it easier for Americans to click the unsubscribe button for unwanted memberships and recurring payment services.
FTC orders 8 companies to provide information on 'surveillance pricing' practices
Read full article: FTC orders 8 companies to provide information on 'surveillance pricing' practicesThe Federal Trade Commission has ordered information from eight companies that the agency says offer products and services that use personal data to set prices based on a shopper’s individual characteristics.
FTC says gig company Arise misled consumers about how much money they could make on its platform
Read full article: FTC says gig company Arise misled consumers about how much money they could make on its platformThe Federal Trade Commission is taking action against a gig work company, saying it misled people about the money they could make on its platform.
FTC unanimously moves to block Tempur Sealy's purchase of Mattress Firm
Read full article: FTC unanimously moves to block Tempur Sealy's purchase of Mattress FirmThe Federal Trade Commission has unanimously voted to bring a lawsuit against mattress maker Tempur Sealy to block its $4 billion acquisition of Mattress Firm, saying the deal would allow the world’s largest mattress supplier to suppress competition that would result in higher prices for shoppers.
Federal Trade Commission refers complaint about TikTok's adherence to child privacy law to the DOJ
Read full article: Federal Trade Commission refers complaint about TikTok's adherence to child privacy law to the DOJThe Federal Trade Commission has referred a complaint against TikTok and its Beijing-based parent company to the Department of Justice.
US antitrust enforcers will investigate leading AI companies Microsoft, Nvidia and OpenAI
Read full article: US antitrust enforcers will investigate leading AI companies Microsoft, Nvidia and OpenAIU.S. antitrust enforcers have decided to investigate the roles Microsoft, Nvidia and OpenAI have played in the artificial intelligence boom, according to people familiar with the pending actions.
Schumer, Democrats urge Justice Department to prosecute alleged oil industry collusion, price-fixing
Read full article: Schumer, Democrats urge Justice Department to prosecute alleged oil industry collusion, price-fixingSenate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and 22 other Democratic senators are calling on the Justice Department to prevent and prosecute alleged collusion and price-fixing in the oil industry.
ConocoPhillips buying Marathon Oil for $17.1 billion in all-stock deal as energy prices rise
Read full article: ConocoPhillips buying Marathon Oil for $17.1 billion in all-stock deal as energy prices riseConocoPhillips is buying Marathon Oil in an all-stock deal valued at approximately $17.1 billion as energy prices soar and big oil companies reap massive profits.
FTC sends $5.6 million in refunds to Ring customers as part of video privacy settlement
Read full article: FTC sends $5.6 million in refunds to Ring customers as part of video privacy settlementThe Federal Trade Commission is sending more than $5.6 million in refunds to consumers as part of a settlement with Amazon-owned Ring, which was charged with failing to protect private video footage from outside access.
How US changes to 'noncompete' agreements and overtime pay could affect workers
Read full article: How US changes to 'noncompete' agreements and overtime pay could affect workersFor millions of American workers, the government took two actions this week that could bestow potentially far-reaching benefits.
New federal rule would bar 'noncompete' agreements for most employees
Read full article: New federal rule would bar 'noncompete' agreements for most employeesU.S. companies would no longer be able to bar employees from taking jobs with competitors under a rule approved by a federal agency, though the rule is sure to be challenged in court.
Key lawmakers float new rules for personal data protection; bill would make privacy a consumer right
Read full article: Key lawmakers float new rules for personal data protection; bill would make privacy a consumer rightTwo lawmakers from opposing parties are floating a new plan to protect the privacy of Americans' personal data.
TikTok is under investigation by the FTC over data practices and could face a lawsuit
Read full article: TikTok is under investigation by the FTC over data practices and could face a lawsuitA person familiar with the matter says the Federal Trade Commission is investigating TikTok over its data and security practices.
Reddit reveals FTC inquiry into deals licensing its users' data for AI training
Read full article: Reddit reveals FTC inquiry into deals licensing its users' data for AI trainingReddit says the Federal Trade Commission has opened an inquiry into the social media platform's sale, licensing or sharing of user posts and other content to outside organizations for use in training artificial intelligence models.
Microsoft engineer sounds alarm on AI image-generator to US officials and company's board
Read full article: Microsoft engineer sounds alarm on AI image-generator to US officials and company's boardA Microsoft engineer is sounding an alarm about offensive and harmful imagery he says is too easily made by the company’s artificial intelligence image-generator tool.
US sues to block merger of grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons, saying it could push prices higher
Read full article: US sues to block merger of grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons, saying it could push prices higherThe Federal Trade Commission is suing to block a proposed merger between grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons.
State governments looking to protect health-related data as it's used in abortion battle
Read full article: State governments looking to protect health-related data as it's used in abortion battleState governments across the U.S. are adopting or considering laws that would block the sale of personal health data or information about who visits sensitive sites such as sexual health facilities.
TurboTax maker Intuit barred from advertising 'free' tax services without disclosing who's eligible
Read full article: TurboTax maker Intuit barred from advertising 'free' tax services without disclosing who's eligibleU.S. regulators have barred TurboTax maker Intuit Inc. from advertising its services as “free” unless they are free for all customers, or if eligibility is clearly disclosed.
FTC proposes strengthening children's online privacy rules to address tracking, push notifications
Read full article: FTC proposes strengthening children's online privacy rules to address tracking, push notificationsThe Federal Trade Commission is proposing sweeping changes to a decades-old law that regulates how companies can track and advertise to children, including turning off targeted ads to kids under 13 by default.
Rite Aid banned from facial recognition tech use for 5 years after faulty theft targeting in stores
Read full article: Rite Aid banned from facial recognition tech use for 5 years after faulty theft targeting in storesRite Aid has been banned from using facial recognition technology for five years over allegations that a surveillance system it used incorrectly identified potential shoplifters, especially Black, Latino, Asian or female shoppers.
Amazon asks federal judge to dismiss the FTC's antitrust lawsuit against the company
Read full article: Amazon asks federal judge to dismiss the FTC's antitrust lawsuit against the companyAttorneys for Amazon have asked a federal judge to dismiss the Federal Trade Commission’s antitrust lawsuit against the e-commerce giant.
FTC opens inquiry of Chevron-Hess merger, marking second review this week of major oil industry deal
Read full article: FTC opens inquiry of Chevron-Hess merger, marking second review this week of major oil industry dealThe Federal Trade Commission is investigating Chevron’s acquisition of Hess oil company, the second inquiry the independent agency has opened this week of a major oil industry merger.
Federal Trade Commission is investigating ExxonMobil's $60B deal to acquire a Texas oil company
Read full article: Federal Trade Commission is investigating ExxonMobil's $60B deal to acquire a Texas oil companySecurity filings show the Federal Trade Commission is investigating ExxonMobil’s $60 billion deal to acquire a Texas oil company, potentially one the largest energy industry mergers in two decades.
Facebook parent Meta sues the FTC claiming 'unconstitutional authority' in child privacy case
Read full article: Facebook parent Meta sues the FTC claiming 'unconstitutional authority' in child privacy caseThe parent company of Instagram and Facebook has sued the Federal Trade Commission in an attempt to stop the agency from reopening a 2020 privacy settlement with the company that would prohibit it from profiting from data it collects on users under 18.
FTC warns food industry trade groups and influencers about disclosures on paid social media posts
Read full article: FTC warns food industry trade groups and influencers about disclosures on paid social media postsThe Federal Trade Commission says it issued warnings to two food and beverage industry groups, as well as to a dozen online influencers and dieticians for failing to adequately disclose paid social media posts that promoted a sweetener and sugary products.
Amazon used an algorithm to essentially raise prices on other sites, the FTC says
Read full article: Amazon used an algorithm to essentially raise prices on other sites, the FTC saysA newly unredacted portion of the Federal Trade Commission's antitrust lawsuit against Amazon says the company used a secret algorithm that essentially helped the company raise prices on other online sites.
The White House has proposed cracking down on junk fees. Here's how to avoid them
Read full article: The White House has proposed cracking down on junk fees. Here's how to avoid themThe Biden administration has proposed increasing transparency around junk fees, which are hidden or misleading charges that increase the total cost of concert tickets, hotel rooms, and other goods and services.
Schumer and other Senate Democrats call for a federal probe of huge oil deals by Exxon and Chevron
Read full article: Schumer and other Senate Democrats call for a federal probe of huge oil deals by Exxon and ChevronSenate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democratic senators are urging federal regulators to investigate multibillion-dollar acquisitions by oil giants ExxonMobil and Chevron, saying the deals could lead to higher prices at the gas pump.
FTC proposes ban on ‘junk’ fees, says hidden charges push up prices
Read full article: FTC proposes ban on ‘junk’ fees, says hidden charges push up pricesThe National Apartment Association says President Joe Biden's proposed rule to ban hidden and bogus junk fees could end up increasing the cost of rental housing.
The Amazon antitrust lawsuit is likely to be a long and arduous journey for the FTC
Read full article: The Amazon antitrust lawsuit is likely to be a long and arduous journey for the FTCThe Federal Trade Commission’s long-awaited antitrust lawsuit against Amazon is the most aggressive move it has taken yet to tame the market power of a company that’s become synonymous with online shopping and fast deliveries.
Amazon sued by FTC and 17 states over allegations it inflates online prices and overcharges sellers
Read full article: Amazon sued by FTC and 17 states over allegations it inflates online prices and overcharges sellersThe Federal Trade Commission and 17 state attorneys general have filed an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon.
Did your kids buy gear in Fortnite without asking you? The FTC says you could get a refund
Read full article: Did your kids buy gear in Fortnite without asking you? The FTC says you could get a refundThe Federal Trade Commission announced late last year that Epic Games would pay $520 million in penalties and refunds to settle complaints revolving around children’s privacy and its payment methods that tricked players into making unintended purchases.
US says Elon Musk should not be immune to testifying about the former Twitter
Read full article: US says Elon Musk should not be immune to testifying about the former TwitterThe U.S. government says the former Twitter’s request to end oversight of its data privacy and security practices is “meritless” and owner Elon Musk should not be immune to testifying about the company since he has “first-hand knowledge” of the conduct being investigated.
Children's advocates ask FTC to investigate Google for targeting ads to kids
Read full article: Children's advocates ask FTC to investigate Google for targeting ads to kidsChildren's advocacy groups including Fairplay and Common Sense Media are asking the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Google, saying the tech giant serves personalized ads to kids on YouTube despite federal law prohibiting the practice.
Investment scams are everywhere on social media. Here's how to spot one
Read full article: Investment scams are everywhere on social media. Here's how to spot oneSocial media is full of scammers promising guaranteed returns on investment, and consumers lost $3.8 billion to them last year just in the U.S., according to the Federal Trade Commission.
Twitter seeks end to US oversight of data use as FTC's Lina Kahn goes before House committee
Read full article: Twitter seeks end to US oversight of data use as FTC's Lina Kahn goes before House committeeTwitter wants a federal court to end an order imposed by the Federal Trade Commission that limits its data security practices.
FTC appeals judge's ruling that would allow Microsoft's Activision Blizzard takeover
Read full article: FTC appeals judge's ruling that would allow Microsoft's Activision Blizzard takeoverThe Federal Trade Commission says it is appealing a judge’s ruling that would have allowed Microsoft to close its deal to buy video game company Activision Blizzard.
House Republicans interrogate FTC's Khan over regulation of Big Tech
Read full article: House Republicans interrogate FTC's Khan over regulation of Big TechThe chair of the Federal Trade Commission has defended her aggressive legal strategy toward the country’s biggest technology companies as she appeared before the House Judiciary Committee.
Microsoft can move ahead with record $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, judge rules
Read full article: Microsoft can move ahead with record $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, judge rulesA federal judge has handed Microsoft a major victory by declining to block its looming $69 billion takeover of video game company Activision Blizzard.
Amazon is accused of enrolling consumers into Prime without consent and making it hard to cancel
Read full article: Amazon is accused of enrolling consumers into Prime without consent and making it hard to cancelThe Federal Trade Commission is suing Amazon for what it calls a yearslong effort to enroll consumers without consent into Amazon Prime and making it difficult for them to cancel their subscriptions.
FTC sues to block Microsoft's takeover of video game maker Activision Blizzard
Read full article: FTC sues to block Microsoft's takeover of video game maker Activision BlizzardThe Federal Trade Commission has sued to block Microsoft from completing its deal to buy video game company Activision Blizzard, the latest antitrust challenge to the proposed merger but one that could hasten its conclusion.
Microsoft will pay $20M to settle U.S. charges of illegally collecting children's data
Read full article: Microsoft will pay $20M to settle U.S. charges of illegally collecting children's dataMicrosoft will pay a fine of $20 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it illegally collected and retained the data of children who signed up to use its Xbox video game console.
Amazon to pay $31 million in privacy violation penalties for Alexa voice assistant and Ring camera
Read full article: Amazon to pay $31 million in privacy violation penalties for Alexa voice assistant and Ring cameraAmazon has agreed to pay a $25 million civil penalty to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations it violated a child privacy law and deceived parents by keeping for years kids’ voice and location data recorded by its Alexa voice assistant.
Monopoly concerns push FTC to sue to block Amgen's more than $26B deal for Horizon
Read full article: Monopoly concerns push FTC to sue to block Amgen's more than $26B deal for HorizonFederal regulators are suing to block biotech drug developer Amgen’s more than $26 billion deal for Horizon Therapeutics.
US officials seek to crack down on harmful AI products
Read full article: US officials seek to crack down on harmful AI productsThe federal government will “not hesitate to crack down” on harmful business practices involving artificial intelligence, the head of the Federal Trade Commission warned Tuesday in a message partly directed at the developers of widely-used AI tools such as ChatGPT.
Michigan AG backs proposed rule to axe non-compete clauses in employment contracts
Read full article: Michigan AG backs proposed rule to axe non-compete clauses in employment contractsA proposed rule that would eliminate most non-compete clauses in employment contracts has the support of the Michigan’s top lawyer.
Stealing your voice? FTC warns of scams targeting family using AI cloned voices
Read full article: Stealing your voice? FTC warns of scams targeting family using AI cloned voicesScammers are using artificial intelligence to clone people’s voices and reach out to their loved ones, faking an emergency situation in an attempt to steal money.
FTC probes Twitter data practices after Elon Musk's layoffs
Read full article: FTC probes Twitter data practices after Elon Musk's layoffsThe Federal Trade Commission is investigating Elon Musk’s mass layoffs at Twitter and trying to obtain his internal communications as part of ongoing oversight into the social media company’s privacy and cybersecurity practices, according to documents described in a congressional report.
BetterHelp shared users' sensitive health data, FTC says
Read full article: BetterHelp shared users' sensitive health data, FTC saysThe online counseling service BetterHelp has agreed to return $7.8 million to customers to settle with the Federal Trade Commission for sharing with companies including Facebook and Snapchat health data it had promised to keep private.
Meta to buy VR startup Within after favorable court ruling
Read full article: Meta to buy VR startup Within after favorable court rulingA federal judge has sided with Facebook parent Meta and cleared the way for the company to buy virtual reality startup Within Unlimited, the maker of the popular fitness app Supernatural.
FTC fines GoodRx for unauthorized sharing of health data
Read full article: FTC fines GoodRx for unauthorized sharing of health dataThe Federal Trade Commission has imposed a $1.5 million penalty on telehealth and prescription drug discount provider GoodRx Holdings Inc. for sharing users’ personal health data with Facebook, Google and other third parties without their consent.
Microsoft will fight US over $68.7B Activision Blizzard deal
Read full article: Microsoft will fight US over $68.7B Activision Blizzard dealMicrosoft is headed for a battle with the Federal Trade Commission over whether the U.S. will block the tech giant’s planned takeover of video game company Activision Blizzard.
Video gamers sue to stop Microsoft's Activision Blizzard buy
Read full article: Video gamers sue to stop Microsoft's Activision Blizzard buyA group of video game players is suing to stop Microsoft from buying video game publisher Activision Blizzard, arguing that the $68.7 billion acquisition would stifle competition and reduce consumer choice.
Fortnite maker to pay $520M for privacy, e-commerce abuses
Read full article: Fortnite maker to pay $520M for privacy, e-commerce abusesThe maker of the popular Fortnite video game will pay $520 million in penalties and refunds to settle complaints revolving around children’s privacy and its payment methods that tricked players into making unintended purchases.
FTC didn't stop Facebook-Instagram. How about Meta-Within?
Read full article: FTC didn't stop Facebook-Instagram. How about Meta-Within?Facebook parent Meta is sparring with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over its pending acquisition of virtual reality fitness company Within Unlimited in federal court in San Jose, California.
FTC sues to block Microsoft-Activision Blizzard $69B merger
Read full article: FTC sues to block Microsoft-Activision Blizzard $69B mergerThe Federal Trade Commission on Thursday sued to block Microsoft’s planned $69 billion takeover of video game company Activision Blizzard, saying it could suppress competitors to its Xbox game consoles and its growing games subscription business.
Senators to FTC: Probe Twitter security, take needed action
Read full article: Senators to FTC: Probe Twitter security, take needed actionA group of Democratic senators have asked federal regulators to investigate any possible violations by Twitter of consumer-protection laws or data-security commitments.
Meta hits back in fight with FTC over VR company acquisition
Read full article: Meta hits back in fight with FTC over VR company acquisitionFacebook parent Meta struck back in its legal battle with federal regulators over its proposed acquisition of virtual-reality company Within Unlimited and its fitness app Supernatural.
Former Uber security chief guilty of data breach coverup
Read full article: Former Uber security chief guilty of data breach coverupThe former chief security officer for Uber has been convicted of trying to cover up a 2016 data breach in which hackers accessed millions of customer records from the ride-hailing service.
Insider Q&A: Privacy advocate sees growing public alarm
Read full article: Insider Q&A: Privacy advocate sees growing public alarmJeffrey Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, has advocated in Washington for privacy protection over the last 25 years, warning U.S. lawmakers and regulators about growing threats to Americans’ online privacy.
FTC investigating Amazon's $3.9B purchase of One Medical
Read full article: FTC investigating Amazon's $3.9B purchase of One MedicalThe Federal Trade Commission is investigating Amazon’s $3.9 billion acquisition of the primary health organization One Medical, a move that could delay the completion of the deal.
Walmart seeks to dismiss lawsuit by FTC over money transfers
Read full article: Walmart seeks to dismiss lawsuit by FTC over money transfersWalmart filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit by the Federal Trade Commission that accused the retailer of allowing its money transfer services to be used by scam artists, calling it an “egregious instance of agency overreach.”.