Tech titans, other companies face PR hurdles in antitrust suits

Antitrust cases are fought as much in the court of public opinion as in a courtroom, and experts say that calls for a multipronged strategy.

Neill Averitt

Actually using a balancing test in the Google case

Antitrust lawyers love to talk about the consumer welfare standard and the rule of reason, and indeed these things are central to the intellectual framework of the law and to practical counseling. But when they’re put to the test in high-stakes litigation against Big Tech, courts generally recoil...

Current Issue: 1057

In Amazon antitrust lawsuit, FTC’s Section 5 powers could be tested

The Federal Trade Commission’s new Amazon complaint raises a question about whether the agency intends to push its power to police “unfair” behavior by firms that doesn’t fall clearly within the...

FTC had funding to stay open for three weeks if shutdown happened

While the government avoided a shutdown when Congress passed a stopgap measure on Saturday, if lawmakers hadn’t acted, the immediate impact on the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice...

FTC confirmation session touches on the political, personal and procedural

A Senate confirmation hearing on the Federal Trade Commission featured sharp criticism over agency practices as well as some unscripted, light moments.

Scams using payment apps spark consumer warning

The Federal Trade Commission cautioned consumers about scammers using mobile payment apps, and money transfer companies have responded by creating educational resources for customers.

Tax preparers put on notice about misusing data

Five tax preparation companies received warnings from the Federal Trade Commission they could face civil penalties if they misuse confidential data collected from consumers.

Lawsuits by Wright, accusers show areas of agreement amid the clashes

In dueling lawsuits, former Federal Trade Commission member Joshua Wright and two of his former students agree that both had sexual relationships with him while he was married. They disagree on...

on the shelf

A fascinating, maddening guide to ‘dark patterns’

Harry Brignull, a British user experience designer, coined the phrase “dark patterns” back in 2010, referring to the persistent practice of websites and apps manipulating consumers into taking actions they might not otherwise have intended.