In mid-July, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reportedly opened an investigation into OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, sending the company an extensive Civil Investigative Demand (CID). While FTC investigations are normally non-public, the Washington Post published what appears to be part of the CID sent from the FTC to OpenAI. This investigation comes on the […]
Consumer Protection/FTC
FTC Seeks Comments on a New Verifiable Parental Consent Mechanism Under COPPA
On July 19, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (the “FTC”) announced that it is seeking comment on an application for a new verifiable parental consent mechanism under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”). The application, submitted jointly by the Entertainment Software Rating Board, Yoti, and SuperAwesome (collectively, the “Applicants”), requests the FTC to approve […]
HHS and FTC Fire a Warning Shot at Healthcare Companies Using Online Tracking Technologies
On July 20, 2023, the Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”), and the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) published a joint letter sent to approximately 130 hospital systems and telehealth providers. The FTC/OCR letter warns that certain online tracking technologies that “may be present” on the recipients’ […]
HHS and FTC Expanding Technology, Privacy, and Cybersecurity Divisions
In recent weeks, FTC and HHS have announced expansion of the operational areas of their organizations that are dedicated to enforcement of laws and regulations related to technology, privacy, and cybersecurity. On February 17, 2023, the FTC announced the creation of a new Office of Technology in order to “strengthen the FTC’s ability to keep […]
FTC Delays Effective Date of Certain Changes to the Safeguard Rule
On November 15, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it is delaying the effective date of certain changes to the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Safeguards Rule. The Safeguards Rule, which first became operative in 2003, imposes certain security requirements on non-banking financial institutions. The FTC amended the Rule in December 2021, and several provisions under the […]