FTC

Trump fires Democrat FTC commissioners, presaging big tech policy shifts

Analysis Remaining Republicans don't like the right to repair, non-compete clause ban, or some social media moderation

Public Sector19 Mar 2025 | 99

FTC's $25.5M scam refund treats victims to $34 each

Oh wow, just look at all the scary stuff in your Windows Event Viewer

Cyber-crime11 Mar 2025 | 12

IBM banks on friendlier US regulatory climate for dealmaking

Reckons completion of Hashicorp buy is around the corner, plans to use some of $7B free cash for more M&A

Devops31 Jan 2025 | 5

The state of Right to Repair: Progress made, but key barriers remain

Schematics, repair manuals, part numbers still out of reach for many industries

Personal Tech24 Jan 2025 | 17

GoDaddy slapped with wet lettuce for years of lax security and 'several major breaches'

Watchdog alleged it had no SIEM or MFA, orders rapid adoption of basic infosec tools

CSO15 Jan 2025 | 13

Oh, Deere! FTC sues tractor maker, alleging decades of monopolized repairs

Updated Incoming Trump-picked watchdog boss dissents, calls suit 'hasty' and 'deeply imprudent,' so will it stick?

Public Sector15 Jan 2025 | 36

Biden’s antitrust crackdown on tech M&As may linger into Trump’s reign

Analysis Lina Khan’s tenure may end, but the regulatory hurdles she helped build aren’t going anywhere

Legal21 Dec 2024 | 18

Epic coughs up the dirty V-Bucks: Fortnite's 'dark pattern' refunds hit accounts

Did you get your loot box?

Personal Tech12 Dec 2024 | 10

Microsoft learned of fresh antitrust probe from the news

Never mind our alleged cheating of customers – you guys are a bunch of leakers, Redmond tells watchdog

Legal04 Dec 2024 | 2

FTC scolds two data brokers for allegedly selling your location to the meter

'Where we go is who we are' totally isn't a creepy ad slogan at all

Personal Tech04 Dec 2024 | 22

Microsoft informed of yet another antitrust probe by US authorities

Investigation is apparently sweeping, but keen on info about AI, security, and cloud

Legal28 Nov 2024 | 5

FTC urges smart device makers to disclose software update lifecycles

You need to know in advance when your kit will be bricked or downgraded – it's the law

Public Sector27 Nov 2024 | 23

Fake reviewers face the wrath of Khan

From hell's heart I stab at thee

Software22 Oct 2024 | 28

FTC drops hammer on unwanted subscriptions with 'click to cancel' rule

It 'will end these tricks and traps, saving Americans time and money'

Legal16 Oct 2024 | 18

Marriott settles for a piddly $52M after series of breaches affecting millions

Intruders stayed for free on the network between 2014 and 2020

Cyber-crime09 Oct 2024 | 9

FTC sues five AI outfits – and one case in particular raises questions

From allegations of lying about capabilities to fake reviews. Plus: Biden AI robocaller finally fined $6M

AI + ML26 Sep 2024 | 16

No way? Big Tech's 'lucrative surveillance' of everyone is terrible for privacy, freedom

Says Lina Khan in latest push to rein in Meta, Google, Amazon and pals

Personal Tech19 Sep 2024 | 26

FTC urged to stop tech makers downgrading devices after you've bought them

Some brick devices they'd rather not support, kill apps that drive functions, or add post-sale subscriptions

Personal Tech06 Sep 2024 | 174

Security biz Verkada to pay $3M penalty under deal that also enforces infosec upgrade

Allowed access to 150K cameras, some in sensitive spots, but has been done for spamming

Security05 Sep 2024 | 3

Biden tries to cut through fog of confusion caused by deliberately deceptive customer service tricks

Targets impossible unsubscribes, elusive human assistance, and other wallet-draining time sinks

Public Sector13 Aug 2024 | 46

Philadelphia tree trimmers fail to nip FTC noncompete ban in the bud

What a Trump-appointed judge taketh away, a Biden judge giveth

Legal24 Jul 2024 | 19

FTC sticks a probe into 'surveillance pricing' Big Biz uses to gouge us all

Ever had to shop in incognito mode to avoid paying more? This one's for you

Software23 Jul 2024 | 28

FTC grabs controller as Microsoft jacks up Game Pass price by 81%

This is exactly what we said would happen post-Blizzard merger, laments watchdog, as its appeal continues

Personal Tech20 Jul 2024 | 30

FTC probes IBM’s $6.4B HashiCorp takeover

Cloud biz claims it's full speed ahead – and damn the torpedoes

Software15 Jul 2024 |

Anonymous 'ask me anything' chat app NGL ordered to knock it off targeting kids

Hitting youngsters with faked texts and calling them suckers is a bit of a no-no, watchdog sniffs

Personal Tech11 Jul 2024 | 9

Feds sue Adobe and execs for stinging subscribers with 'hidden' cancellation fees

Graphic design giant slammed for using graphic design to bury T&Cs

Applications17 Jun 2024 | 24

Best Buy and Geek Squad were most impersonated orgs by scammers in 2023

But criminals posing as Microsoft workers scored the most ill-gotten gains

Security24 May 2024 | 13

Nissan infosec in the spotlight again after breach affecting more than 50K US employees

Infosec in brief PLUS: Connected automakers put on notice; Cisco Talos develops macOS fuzzing technique; Last week's critical vulns

Security20 May 2024 | 2

Razer made to pay $1.2M over 'N95' face mask that wasn't

Customers to get their light-up cyberpunk respirators refunded

Offbeat30 Apr 2024 | 22

Ring dinged for $5.6M after, among other claims, rogue insider spied on 'pretty girls'

Cash to go out as refunds to punters

Personal Tech25 Apr 2024 | 35

US Chamber of Commerce to sue FTC for banning noncompetes in most jobs

Senior execs making $150K+ will still have to abide by them, but they fall away for everyone else

On-Prem24 Apr 2024 | 43

MGM says FTC can't possibly probe its ransomware downfall – watchdog chief Lina Khan was a guest at the time

What a twist!

Cyber-crime16 Apr 2024 | 19

Senator Warren slams Intuit's 'junk fees' as America's Tax Day rolls around again

Says the IRS can do this stuff for free

Applications15 Apr 2024 | 67

US legislators propose American Privacy Rights Act - and it looks quite good

After two decades of calls for national protections, something may actually happen

Public Sector09 Apr 2024 | 39

No joke: FTC boss goes on the Daily Show and is told Apple tried to block her

Comment Land of the Free has lost its way in quest for profits

Offbeat02 Apr 2024 | 77

Congress votes unanimously to ban brokers selling American data to enemies

At least we can all agree on something

Security21 Mar 2024 | 19

FTC goes undercover to probe suspected antivirus scam, scores $26M settlement

Imagine trying to trick folks into buying $500 of unnecessary repairs – and they turn out to be federal agents

Cyber-crime14 Mar 2024 | 9

Avast shells out $17M to shoo away claims it peddled people's personal data

A name that's commonly shouted by pirates might be a clue, me hearties!

Security23 Feb 2024 | 18

Employees saved Musk from himself over Twitter Files

Unfettered access to non-public info would have violated FTC order

Personal Tech22 Feb 2024 | 35

Amazon hopes to avoid labor regulation by simply abolishing national watchdogs

Our right to exploit workers trumps your right to probe

Public Sector22 Feb 2024 | 37

FTC asks normal folks if they'd like AI impersonation scam protection, too

Fakers face the wrath of Khan

AI + ML16 Feb 2024 | 22

Date set for for epic Amazon-FTC antitrust showdown

Lina Khan may not even be in charge of watchdog by time case gets to trial, if it even goes that far

Personal Tech14 Feb 2024 | 2

Blackbaud settles with FTC after that IT breach exposed millions of people's info

Cloud software slinger admits no guilt, promises better basic security hygiene

Cyber-crime02 Feb 2024 | 6

FTC Tech Summit highlights GPU shortages, concentrations of power

Panel Startups hoping to compete in the industry face an uphill battle

AI + ML26 Jan 2024 |

Uncle Sam will pay for your big ideas to end AI voice-cloning fraud

The advent of generative AI has made the attack far more pervasive

AI + ML05 Jan 2024 | 35

FTC wants to crack down on Big Biz profiting from kids' data

COPPA changes on the horizon. Meta, Amazon and friends must be thrilled

Personal Tech21 Dec 2023 | 6

FTC bans Rite Aid from using AI facial recognition in stores for 5 years

Among the mistakes, an 11-year-old girl was misidentified as a shoplifter and searched

AI + ML20 Dec 2023 | 35

Amazon's practices are 'the essence of competition,' it tells judge

Why would FTC call that antitrust, it asks in dismissal request

Legal11 Dec 2023 | 12

FTC wants Microsoft's relationship with OpenAI under the microscope

Hey Bing, how can I invest billions in a company but not break antitrust laws?

AI + ML11 Dec 2023 | 8

Google submits complaints about Microsoft licensing to UK competition regulator

Now Microsoft has regulator breathing down its neck in three regions

PaaS + IaaS01 Dec 2023 | 7

US watchdog gives itself power to demand documents in AI probes

And offers $25,000 prize to stop voice deepfakes from catching on

AI + ML22 Nov 2023 | 2

FTC interrupts Copyright Office probe to flip out over potential AI fraud, abuse

Sir, this is a Wendy's

AI + ML09 Nov 2023 | 22

Amazon's $1.4B price-raising 'Project Nessie' algorithm exposed in FTC antitrust fight

More details emerge from Loch Jassy, including how this may have been anything but a 'scrapped' project

Personal Tech02 Nov 2023 | 16

Finance orgs have 30 days to confess cyber sins under incoming FTC rules

Follows similar efforts from the SEC and DHS in recent months

Cyber-crime31 Oct 2023 |

When Microsoft complains that you're a monopolist you know things are bad

Kettle Google and Amazon are both in antitrust trouble as the US gets tough

Legal09 Oct 2023 | 17

FTC: Please stop falling for social media scams, you've given crooks at least $650M so far this year

Internet considered harmful

Security07 Oct 2023 | 68