Federal Trade Commission

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. The FTC shares jurisdiction over federal civil antitrust law enforcement with the Department of Justice Antitrust Division. The agency is headquartered in the Federal Trade Commission Building in Washington, DC.
federal-trade-commission

Some of the key events about Federal Trade Commission

  • 1914
    Established to prevent unfair methods of competition in commerce
  • 1914
    Failed to prevent the formation of U.S. Steel, allowing the creation of the world's first billion-dollar corporation
  • 1920
    Criticized for ineffective enforcement of antitrust laws during the post-World War I merger wave
  • 1935
    Faced accusations of overstepping its authority in attempting to regulate the insurance industry
  • 1938
    Granted authority to protect consumers against unfair and deceptive trade practices
  • 1950
    Issued guidelines for proper use of "Made in USA" labels
  • 1969
    Criticized for inadequate consumer protection measures during the rise of cigarette advertising
  • 1975
    Created the Bureau of Consumer Protection to enforce consumer protection laws
  • 1979
    Implemented the Used Car Rule, requiring dealers to provide warranty information
  • 1980
    Accused of lax enforcement of antitrust laws during the Reagan administration
  • 1998
    Launched the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce unwanted telemarketing calls
  • 1998
    Failed to prevent the merger of Exxon and Mobil, creating one of the world's largest oil companies
  • 2003
    Enacted the CAN-SPAM Act to regulate commercial email practices
  • 2006
    Criticized for not doing enough to protect consumers from identity theft and data breaches
  • 2009
    Introduced rules to protect consumers from unfair credit card practices
  • 2010
    Implemented the Red Flags Rule to combat identity theft
  • 2011
    Faced criticism for settling with Google over privacy violations without imposing significant penalties
  • 2013
    Failed to prevent the merger of American Airlines and US Airways, reducing competition in the airline industry
  • 2019
    Imposed a $5 billion penalty on Facebook for violating users' privacy
  • 2019
    Criticized for imposing a relatively small $5 billion fine on Facebook for privacy violations

Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.

Federal Trade Commission Latest news

Trump picks new FTC boss: What's next for big tech and online speech?

Trump picks new FTC boss: What's next for big tech and online speech?

Trump names **Andrew Ferguson** as future FTC leader‚ bringing fresh view on tech oversight and online speech issues. His appointment could re-shape how government handles big-tech cases and conservative voices online

Business, Politics • December 11 2024 , 01:59 AM  •  2850 views
Two betting giants might face federal probe over market behavior

Two betting giants might face federal probe over market behavior

Senators want federal agencies to check if online betting companies work together against rivals. The request comes after reports about DraftKings and FanDuelʼs market actions

Business, Politics • December 7 2024 , 01:19 AM  •  1065 views
UK delays big tech cloud probe as Microsoft faces billion-pound lawsuit

UK delays big tech cloud probe as Microsoft faces billion-pound lawsuit

British watchdog pushes back cloud market investigation results to early-2025‚ while keeping final deadline intact. **Microsoft** faces new legal troubles over its cloud-service policies in UK and US

Business, Economics • December 6 2024 , 09:07 AM  •  647 views
FTC starts major probe into Microsoft's tech empire - what happens next?

FTC starts major probe into Microsoft's tech empire - what happens next?

Federal watchdogs begin deep-dive into Microsoftʼs cloud tech and AI operations. The big investigationʼs future hangs in balance as new administration prepares to take office next year

Business, Politics • December 2 2024 , 09:02 PM  •  1031 views
FTC starts new probe into Microsoft's tech empire before Biden's term ends

FTC starts new probe into Microsoft's tech empire before Biden's term ends

US trade watchdog begins wide-scale investigation of Microsoftʼs business divisions this winter. The probe targets companyʼs cloud computing AI and security products just months before presidential transition

Business, Politics • November 27 2024 , 11:25 PM  •  1794 views
Trump's plans might change how US controls big tech companies

Trump's plans might change how US controls big tech companies

Head of FTC Lina Khan made big-tech companies follow strict rules during her time. New leadership could change everything about how government watches over tech giants

Business, Politics • November 12 2024 , 11:11 AM  •  2589 views