The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Federal Trade Commission issued a request for information (RFI) yesterday seeking comment on “background screening issues affecting individuals who seek rental housing in the United States, including how the use of criminal and eviction records and algorithms affect tenant screening decisions and may be driving discriminatory outcomes.” … Continue Reading
FTC
FTC issues annual ECOA report to CFPB
By John L. Culhane, Jr. on
The FTC recently sent its annual letter to the CFPB reporting on the FTC’s activities related to the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) and Regulation B. The new letter reports on the FTC’s activities in 2022. The Bureau includes the FTC’s annual letter in its own annual report to Congress on the ECOA.… Continue Reading
This week’s podcast episode: A close look at the Federal Trade Commission’s proposal to ban non-compete agreements
By Barbara S. Mishkin on
Posted in FTC, Regulatory and Enforcement
With one Republican Commissioner dissenting, the FTC has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that would ban non-compete agreements between employers and workers nationwide, both prospectively and retroactively. If finalized, the proposal would impact nearly all nonbanks in the consumer financial services industry. We first review the practices that the proposal would prohibit, the types of employers and categories of workers it covers, and the types of agreements it covers, including the proposal’s narrow exceptions. … Continue Reading
White House issues Blueprint for Renters Bill of Rights: Will the CFPB and FTC stay in their lanes?
Last week, the Biden Administration released a “Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights” (Blueprint), which sets forth five principles intended to “create a shared baseline for fairness for renters in the housing market” and directs various federal agencies, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), to take various actions to further those principles. … Continue Reading
FTC seeks to ban non-compete agreements
By David S. Fryman & Karli Lubin on
Posted in FTC, Regulatory and Enforcement
Following an announcement last year that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would use Section 5 of the FTC Act to aggressively police conduct it deems unfair (see our Legal Alert), the Agency kicked off the new year with two actions aimed at banning non-compete agreements between employers and workers.
On January 5, the FTC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking aimed at categorically banning non-compete agreements nationwide. … Continue Reading
This week’s podcast episode: A look at the Federal Trade Commission’s proposed rule for auto dealers from the perspective of auto dealers and auto finance companies, with special guests Paul Metrey, Senior Vice President for Regulatory Affairs, National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), and Richard Hackett, Regulatory Compliance Consultant and former Assistant Director, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
By Barbara S. Mishkin on
The FTC’s proposal would impose a number of new substantive and disclosure requirements on auto dealers in connection with the car buying or leasing process. We first discuss NADA’s comment letter to the FTC on the proposal, including NADA’s concerns with the process used by the FTC to issue the proposal and with the proposal’s disclosure, recordkeeping, website posting, and other requirements. … Continue Reading
FTC extends deadline for updated Safeguards Rule by six months
By Gregory P. Szewczyk on
On November 15, 2022, the FTC announced that it was extending by six months the deadline for companies to comply with some portions of the updated Safeguards Rule. The extension comes as a welcome relief to companies racing to meet the rapidly nearing effective date.
The FTC approved changes to the longstanding Safeguards Rule in October 2021. … Continue Reading
Supreme Court hears arguments over jurisdiction for constitutional challenges to FTC’s enforcement authority
By Brian Turetsky on
Posted in FTC, Litigation and Court Decisions
The Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday in Axon Enterprise v. Federal Trade Commission (No. 21-86), as to whether federal courts can hear a challenge to the FTC’s constitutionality by a party in an administrative proceeding before the agency has issued a final order. The Court also heard arguments in a similar case, Securities and Exchange Commission v.… Continue Reading
Vonage to pay $100 million in refunds to consumers under FTC consent order settling junk fees and “dark patterns” allegations
By Brian Turetsky on
Posted in FTC, Regulatory and Enforcement
On November 3, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced that it has entered into a consent order with internet phone service provider Vonage to settle allegations that it imposed “junk fees” on consumers and used “dark patterns” that prevented them from cancelling their service. Under the terms of the settlement, Vonage has agreed to pay $100 million in customer refunds, simplify its cancellation process, and enhance its disclosures.… Continue Reading
FTC issues advance notice of proposed rulemaking on “junk fees”
By Brian Turetsky on
Posted in FTC, Regulatory and Enforcement
On October 20, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced that it is issuing an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“ANPR” or “Notice”) to address “junk fees,” a term used in the Notice to refer to “unfair or deceptive fees that are charged for goods and services that have little or no added value to the consumer.”… Continue Reading