A coalition of 22 consumer and public health advocacy groups, led by Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) and Center for Digital Democracy (CDD), have today filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission asking them to investigate and sanction Google for how its Google Play Store markets apps to children. The complaint states that […]
View More Consumer advocacy groups call on FTC to investigate kids’ apps on Google PlayCategory: Ftc
Senators urge FTC to look into shady ad practices in apps for kids
For us jaded adults, the long-running trend towards making apps and games free to download but stuffing them with paid options is just an annoyance or perhaps a logical progression of the business model. But kids haven’t developed our cynicism and wariness of manipulation — and they’re getting targeted nevertheless. Several Senators have asked the […]
View More Senators urge FTC to look into shady ad practices in apps for kidsFacebook gives US lawmakers the names of 52 firms it gave deep data access to
In a major Friday night data dump, Facebook handed Congress a ~750-page document with responses to the 2,000 or so questions it received from US lawmakers sitting on two committees in the Senate and House back in April. The document (which condensed into a tellingly apt essence — “people data… Facebook information” — above, when […]
View More Facebook gives US lawmakers the names of 52 firms it gave deep data access toThe FTC warns companies about those ‘warranty void if removed’ labels
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Consumers just gained more power over the products they buy.
On Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) informed consumer technology companies that those “warranty void if removed” labels on gadgets aren’t OK. It’s a win for the “Right to Repair” movement, which advocates for individuals to be able to fix their products wherever they wish to — not just with a product’s original manufacturers.
“Provisions that tie warranty coverage to the use of particular products or services harm both consumers who pay more for them as well as the small businesses who offer competing products and services,” Thomas B. Pahl, acting director of the FTC’s bureau of consumer protection, said in a statement. Read more…
More about Ftc, Right To Repair, Warranty, Tech, and Smartphones
Zuckerberg makes case for privacy regs with teeth — by failing to remember non-existent FTC fine
Chalk up a sharp political point in support for privacy legislation with actual teeth: In today’s testimony in front of the House Energy & Commerce committee, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was asked about the outcomes of a string of legal actions against the company — most of which he claimed not be aware of. One which he […]
View More Zuckerberg makes case for privacy regs with teeth — by failing to remember non-existent FTC fineFTC confirms it’s investigating Facebook — a huge threat to the social media giant
The Federal Trade Commission confirmed Monday that it’s investigating Facebook and its data policies following reports that the data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica accessed personal information of 50 million Americans without their knowledge.
Her…
FTC shuts down crypto Ponzi schemers
The FTC has announced that they’ve issued temporary restraining orders and frozen the assets of a team of three defendants who pitched investment advice as the Bitcoin Funding Team and My7Network. The FTC claims that the defendants “promised big rewards for a small payment of bitcoin or Litecoin.” From the report: According to the FTC, […]
View More FTC shuts down crypto Ponzi schemersThe FTC settles with Venmo over a series of privacy and security violations
The FTC announced today it has settled with PayPal over a complaint about the company’s handling of privacy disclosures in its peer-to-peer payments app Venmo, its lack of disclosure over the speed with which customers could access funds, as well as other issues related to the security and privacy of customer transactions. News that the Federal Trade Commission was looking into… Read More
FTC and state of Nevada crack down on revenge porn site
In a complaint filed against MyEx.com, the FTC and state of Nevada allege the website violates both federal and state law by featuring intimate images of people, along with their personal information, without their consent. MyEx, which the FTC describes as being “dedicated solely to revenge porn,” is a website that lets people upload photos and information about their ex partners.… Read More
After breach exposing millions of parents and kids, toymaker VTech handed a $650K fine by FTC
VTech, the maker of smart toys whose poor security practices exposed data from millions of parents and children, has been slapped on the wrist by the FTC to the tune of $650,000 and probation. It’s not much of a penalty for such a multifaceted failure affecting so many. Read More
How to be a responsible citizen of the internet in a post-net neutrality world
It’s now up to you and everyone else surfing the internet to make sure companies don’t destroy it.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to end net neutrality on Thursday, which could mean the end of the open internet as we know it. While…