Uncle Sam cracks down on faked reviews and bad influencers Big $50,000 fines for misleading posts... unless it's political, natch Personal Tech30 Jun 2023 | 15
Amazon Prime too easy to join, too hard to quit, says FTC lawsuit Updated Dark patterns at Amazon worthy of a Homeric epic? Surely not! Applications21 Jun 2023 | 69
FTC pulls emergency brake on Microsoft's marriage to Activision Blizzard Updated Agency concerned the pair are planning to combine before it's able to make a decision whether to allow it Software13 Jun 2023 | 27
Microsoft cops $20M slap on the wrist for mishandling kids' Xbox data Pocket change, in other words Security06 Jun 2023 | 4
Amazon Ring, Alexa accused of every nightmare IoT security fail you can imagine Staff able to watch customers in the bathroom? Tick! Obviously shabby infosec? Tick! Training AI as an excuse for data retention? Tick! Security01 Jun 2023 | 91
Guess who is collecting and sharing abortion-related data? Basically everyone at this point. But developer Easy Healthcare has promised to stop Personal Tech19 May 2023 | 27
EU monopoly cops probe complaints about Microsoft Azure Over in the US, FTC panel on cloud homes in on restrictive software licensing PaaS + IaaS16 May 2023 | 13
FTC sues VoIP provider over 'billions of illegal robocalls' XCast knew it was breaking the law and didn't hold back, watchdog says Cyber-crime16 May 2023 | 39
Court gives FTC 30 days to swing again in privacy bout with location data slinger Second time's a charm? Personal Tech06 May 2023 | 11
Strike three: FTC says Meta still failing to protect user privacy Deals between Zuckercorp + FTC in 2012 and 2020 are being ignored, so time to get stricter, says commish Security04 May 2023 | 21
FTC urged to freeze OpenAI's 'biased, deceptive' GPT-4 AI policy wonks slam chatty hallucination-prone model in formal complaint AI + ML30 Mar 2023 | 49
If scammers use your AI code to rip off victims, the FTC may want a word A good watchdog does blame the tools, or something like that Personal Tech22 Mar 2023 | 18
Europe, America fear Twitter job cuts mean it can't protect users How will Elon conform to FTC decrees and EU laws? He probably doesn't know, either Personal Tech08 Mar 2023 | 15
Hey, AI hucksters. Dial down the hype. Lots of love, the FTC Analysis Exaggerated claims? About unproven technology? Ask your chat bot if it knows what fraud means AI + ML28 Feb 2023 | 5
This won't hurt a bit: Amazon now a US healthcare provider Updated Closes takeover of One Medical, has your shopping habits and medical info Personal Tech23 Feb 2023 | 36
Romance scammers' favorite lies cost victims $1.3B last year Don't trust your super-hot military boyfriend you've never met. He doesn't exist Cyber-crime10 Feb 2023 | 19
FTC backs down over Meta's acquisition of VR biz Within Meta said it plans to close deal soon Personal Tech08 Feb 2023 | 2
FTC prescribes GoodRx a $1.5m pill after 'sharing health info' with web giants Facebook, Google, Twilio had a look-see of that data, we're told Personal Tech02 Feb 2023 | 8
FTC floats rule to ban imposed non-compete agreements in US Miscreants would face the wrath of Khan Legal06 Jan 2023 | 15
Microsoft-FTC dispute over Activision deal hits court Wildly popular Call of Duty game at the center of the antitrust tussle Software03 Jan 2023 | 1
FCC calls for mega $300 million fine for massive US robocall campaign 5 billion calls over three months. Was your phone spammed? Security22 Dec 2022 | 82
Video game players sue to frag Microsoft-Activision merger Redmond accused of monopolising a market! How shocking Personal Tech21 Dec 2022 | 9
Epic payment: Fortnite maker pays record $520m to settle FTC case Updated Someone thought of the children, and the dark patterns Personal Tech19 Dec 2022 | 23
FTC wants to pause Microsoft's Activision Blizzard mega-takeover Watchdog answers its call of duty, fears serial monopoly abuser will strike again Personal Tech08 Dec 2022 | 15
FTC urged to clamp down on businesses' voracious appetite for data ACLU agrees that the only way to protect consumers is to control what can be collected Personal Tech22 Nov 2022 | 4
World's richest man posts memes as $44b Twitter acquisition veers off course Staff locked out as hundreds appear to say no to Musk's 'hardcore' ultimatum Offbeat18 Nov 2022 | 210
Republican senators tell FTC to back off data security, surveillance rules And they don't like the states' 'patchwork' privacy laws, either Legal10 Nov 2022 | 24
Vonage to pay $100m for making it nearly impossible to cancel internet phone services Ericsson's VoIP biz used 'a panoply of hurdles' to keep customers on the hook Personal Tech04 Nov 2022 | 39
Watchdog urged to sniff out any collusion, deception in rent-setting algorithms Things could get real for RealPage real fast AI + ML02 Nov 2022 | 10
Education tech giant gets an F for security after sensitive info on 40 million users stolen Chegg it out: Four blunders in four years CSO31 Oct 2022 | 6
Manufacturers could be forced to include repair instructions Fix-it guides among changes mulled by FTC for home appliances and potentially other stuff Personal Tech19 Oct 2022 | 30
Data tracking poses a 'national security risk' FTC told 'We're making China's job easier' Security09 Sep 2022 | 31
Mozilla CSO demands fines to curb Big Tech surveillance These super-corps are otherwise enjoying 'a consequence-free zone' Personal Tech09 Sep 2022 | 9
FTC sues data broker for selling millions of people's 'precise' location info Which would be very problematic in this Post-Roe era Personal Tech29 Aug 2022 | 28
FTC presses ahead in its war on 'free' Turbo Tax Updated US watchdog snubs Intuit's request to drop claims of bait-and-switch tactics Personal Tech23 Aug 2022 | 15
FTC ponders proper punishment for commercial data 'surveillance' and shoddy security Got thoughts on the online panopticon? The FTC wants to hear Personal Tech11 Aug 2022 | 4
Now another Meta acquisition in jeopardy: VR biz Within And on the same day revenue declined, web ad spend uncertain, hiring slowed, more AI curation promised AI + ML28 Jul 2022 | 14
FTC suddenly gets very stern about not-really-anonymized anonymized data Right after Biden's order to protect women in a post-Roe America Personal Tech12 Jul 2022 | 9
Biden considers removal of Trump-era China tariffs to ease inflation But US administration split on loss of leverage, according to reports Legal05 Jul 2022 | 14
Walmart accused of turning blind eye to transfer fraud totaling millions of dollars Store giant brands watchdog's lawsuit 'factually misguided, legally flawed' Cyber-crime29 Jun 2022 | 42
LGBTQ+ folks warned of dating app extortion scams Uncle Sam tells of crooks exploiting Pride Month Cyber-crime27 Jun 2022 | 6
FTC urged to probe Apple, Google for enabling ‘intense system of surveillance’ Ad tracking poses a privacy and security risk in post-Roe America, lawmakers warn Personal Tech27 Jun 2022 | 13
US senators seek ban on sale of health location data With Supreme Court set to overturn Roe v Wade, privacy is key Research17 Jun 2022 | 32
FTC urged to protect data privacy of women visiting abortion clinics Updated As Supreme Court set to overturn Roe v Wade, safeguards on location info now more vital than ever Personal Tech23 May 2022 | 45
FTC signals crackdown on ed-tech harvesting kid's data Trade watchdog, and President, reminds that COPPA can ban ya Personal Tech20 May 2022 | 9
FTC says Frontier lied about its internet speeds amid $8.5m settlement Telco 'ripped off customers by charging high-speed prices for slow service', says watchdog Networks07 May 2022 | 17
FTC probes Broadcom for anti-competitive behavior again – reports Chip designer allegedly cites supply chain issues to lock customers in exclusively Systems25 Apr 2022 |
FTC sues Intuit for false advertising, says 'free' TurboTax isn't always free Folks fill out online forms only to be told to upgrade to paid versions Personal Tech29 Mar 2022 | 45
CafePress fined for covering up 2019 customer info leak Watchdog demands $500,000 after millions of people's info stolen and sold Security16 Mar 2022 | 9
FTC celebrates after Nvidia-Arm deal collapses GPU titan retains significant influence over CPU core house given it is a major customer On-Prem15 Feb 2022 | 9
Arm's $66bn sale to Nvidia is off: Deal collapses after world's competition regulators raise concerns SoftBank Group opts to take Arm stock public again as CEO Simon Segars announces departure On-Prem08 Feb 2022 | 43
In a first, FTC extracts millions of dollars from online store accused of blocking bad reviews on its website Glad rags merchandiser denies wrongdoing, says it coughed up $4.2m to 'avoid distraction' Personal Tech27 Jan 2022 | 29
US mergers doubled in 2021 so FTC and DoJ seek new guidelines to stop illegal ones Last set of rules written in 2010 – a whole different era in tech terms Security19 Jan 2022 | 6
US watchdog pokes Facebook a second time: Meta faces fresh monopoly lawsuit If at first you don't succeed, you're probably the FTC Personal Tech12 Jan 2022 | 9
You better have patched those Log4j holes or we'll see what a judge has to say – FTC Apply fixes responsibly in a timely manner or face the wrath of Lina Khan Security05 Jan 2022 | 9
140,000-plus drivers sent $60m in compensation checks after Amazon 'stole their tips' One lucky bod gets $28,000, on average it's a few hundred bucks each Personal Tech03 Nov 2021 | 68
FTC carpet bombs industry with letters warning that fake reviews will be punished The Register is an amazing website, simply one of the very best out there. Extremely cool people. 10/10 Legal14 Oct 2021 | 43
Zoom's $15bn merger with Five9 probed by Uncle Sam for national security risks Vid-chat giant's ties to China under the microscope by AG-led panel Security22 Sep 2021 | 7
Senators urge US trade watchdog to look into whether Tesla may just be over-egging its Autopilot, FSD pudding The day before Elon's big party, too AI + ML19 Aug 2021 | 71
Court kills FTC, US states' antitrust complaints against trillion-dollar Facebook Watchdog has 30 days to try again or let it go Personal Tech29 Jun 2021 | 13
Big Tech critic Lina Khan confirmed as FTC chairwoman Promises to 'safeguard fair competition and protect consumers, workers, and honest businesses ... with vigor' PaaS + IaaS16 Jun 2021 | 8