Federal Trade Commission – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FTC intends to ask the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') to extend for an additional three years the current Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA'') clearance for information collection requirements contained in the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act Rule (``COPPA Rule'' or ``Rule''), which will expire on February 29, 2016.

The Federal Trade Commission (``Commission'') requests public comment on the overall costs and benefits, and regulatory and economic impact, of its Rules and Regulations under the Trade Regulation Rule Concerning Preservation of Consumers' Claims and Defenses, commonly known as the ``Holder Rule,'' as part of the agency's regular review of all its regulations and guides.

The Commission amends the rules and regulations promulgated under the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (``Rules'') to: Modernize the place-of-business listing requirement; incorporate a more comprehensive metric chart; address the use of exponents with customary inch/pound measurements; delete outdated prohibitions on retail price sales representations; and acknowledge the role of the weights-and-measures laws of individual states.

The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair methods of competition. The attached Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the draft complaint and the terms of the consent ordersembodied in the consent agreementthat would settle these allegations.

The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair methods of competition. The attached Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the draft complaint and the terms of the consent order embodied in the consent agreementthat would settle these allegations.

The Commission issues final amendments to expand coverage of the Lighting Facts label, require room air conditioner labels on packaging instead of the units themselves, enhance the durability of appliance labels, and improve plumbing disclosure requirements. This Notice completes the Commission's recent regulatory review of the Energy Labeling Rule.

The FTC seeks public comments on proposed information requests to marketers of electronic cigarettes. These comments will be considered before the Commission submits a request for Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') review under the Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA'') of compulsory process orders to those marketers. The information sought from those companies would include, among other things, data on annual sales and marketing expenditures. The Commission intends to ask OMB for a three-year clearance to collect this information.

The information collection requirements described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The FTC seeks public comments on its proposal to extend, for three years, the current PRA clearance for information collection requirements contained in the rules and regulations under the Health Breach Notification Rule. This clearance expires on March 31, 2016.

The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair methods of competition. The attached Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the draft complaint and the terms of the consent order embodied in the consent agreementthat would settle these allegations.

The Federal Trade Commission (the ``Commission'' or ``FTC'') is giving notice that there will be no fee increase for entities accessing the National Do Not Call Registry (the ``Registry'') for fiscal year 2016.

The FTC intends to ask the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') to extend for an additional three years the current Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA'') clearance for information collection requirements contained in the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act Rule (``COPPA Rule'' or ``Rule''), which will expire on February 29, 2016.

The Federal Trade Commission has issued a Statement of Enforcement Principles Regarding ``Unfair Methods of Competition'' Under Section 5 of the FTC Act. The Statement describes the underlying antitrust principles that guide the Commission's application of its statutory authority to take action against ``unfair methods of competition'' prohibited by Section 5 of the FTC Act but not necessarily by the Sherman Act or the Clayton Act.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), BSEE is inviting comments on a collection of information that we will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The information collection request (ICR) concerns a renewal to the paperwork requirements in the regulations under Subpart K, Oil and Gas Production Requirements.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) is notifying the public that we have submitted to OMB an information collection request (ICR) to renew approval of the paperwork requirements in the regulations under Oil-Spill Response Requirements for Facilities Located Seaward of the Coast Line. This notice also provides the public a second opportunity to comment on the revised paperwork burden of these regulatory requirements.

The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The attached Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the draft complaint and the terms of the consent orderembodied in the consent agreementthat would settle these allegations.

The FTC proposes to amend the Privacy of Consumer Financial Information Rule (Privacy Rule or Rule), which among other things requires that certain motor vehicle dealers provide an annual disclosure of their privacy policies to their customers by hand delivery, mail, electronic delivery, or, alternatively through a Web site, but only with the consent of the consumer. The amendment would allow motor vehicle dealers instead to notify their customers that a privacy policy is available on their Web site, under certain circumstances. The amendment would also revise the scope and definitions in this rule in light of the transfer of part of the Commission's rulemaking authority to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or the Bureau) in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, but retains certain examples for purposes of the FTC's Safeguards Rule.

The Commission plans to conduct a remedy study to update and expand on the divestiture study it conducted in the mid-1990s to: (1) Assess the effectiveness of the Commission's policies and practices regarding remedial orders where the Commission has permitted a merger but required a divestiture or other remedy, and (2) identify the factors that contributed to the Commission successfully or unsuccessfully achieving the remedial goals of the orders. This is the second of two notices required under the Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA'') in which the FTC seeks public comments on its proposed study in connection with Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') review of, and clearance for, the collection of information discussed herein.

The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The attached Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the draft complaint and the terms of the consent orderembodied in the consent agreementthat would settle these allegations.

The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair methods of competition. The attached Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the draft complaint and the terms of the consent order embodied in the consent agreementthat would settle these allegations.

The Commission is revising certain of its rules of practice to accommodate changes to the Commission's electronic filing system, to eliminate outdated requirements, and to improve clarity.

The FTC plans to conduct a study to examine the factors influencing consumers' decisions to participate in a class action settlement, opt out of a class action settlement, or object to the settlement. This is the first of two notices required under the Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA'') seeking public comments on proposed research before requesting Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') review of, and clearance for, the collection of information discussed herein.

The Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'') will meet on Thursday, May 14, 2015, in Room 532 of the FTC Building for an Oral Argument In the Matter of ECM BioFilms, Inc., et al. The public is invited to attend and observe the open portion of the meeting, which is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. The remainder of the meeting will be closed to the public.

The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The attached Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the draft complaint and the terms of the consent orderembodied in the consent agreementthat would settle these allegations.