No one who plans and operates a promotional sweepstakes wants to litigate over the prizes. But one of the primary reasons an operator wants a set of experienced eyes on a set of Official Rules is to ensure that the operator is covered – just in case there is a dispute with one or more of the contestants. Sometimes, operators cleverly anticipate that an arbitration clause will help to lower the risk of a dispute involving a contest or sweepstakes. And, undoubtedly, there might be situations where arbitration can help the operator lower the risk of costly litigation. But, like many substantive provisions of the promotional contract between an operator of a sweepstakes and a participating consumer, the clever protections you and your attorney put in place are only effective if they are made a part of the contract.
Continue Reading Reliance on sweepstakes official rules to avoid litigation requires publication
Personavera v. CHIME: An Innovation Contest Goes Sour
A lucrative prize incentive can be the engine for an exciting and socially beneficial innovation competition. Despite the good intentions of the organizer, a lot can go wrong even when the sponsor is a nonprofit. An innovation contest generally promotes the generation of ideas or prototypes for new advancements in an industry. We have worked with many entities that seek to encourage innovation through prize incentives. Such promotions can involve very large prizes, and they can engender a lot of press coverage. Regardless of whether the purpose of the contest is for commercial, educational, or social purposes, a company or organization can still end up in federal court if the contest is not properly structured and conducted.
Continue Reading Personavera v. CHIME: An Innovation Contest Goes Sour
Register today! Join us for a CLE webinar “Evolving Roles for Self-Regulation of Medical Devices and Health Services”
This CLE webinar offers a unique, inside look at how BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division (NAD) evaluates medical devices and other health-related products and services. Our panelists will engage in a lively discussion of recent enforcement trends and challenges for manufacturers, and how companies can effectively use the NAD framework to their advantage. In addition, this event will discuss NAD guidance on self-regulation and how to use it as a tool to ensure competitors also meet the standards set by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Continue Reading Register today! Join us for a CLE webinar “Evolving Roles for Self-Regulation of Medical Devices and Health Services”
FTC reaches settlement over misleading mobile advertisements for in-game rewards, and warns of growing scrutiny towards today’s gaming gatekeepers
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has settled with mobile advertiser Tapjoy, Inc. (“Tapjoy”) over allegations that it misled consumers by failing to provide in-game rewards that users earned by completing its advertising offers. According to the FTC’s complaint, Tapjoy offered users in-game virtual currency for completing advertising offers like purchasing products or services, signing
John Feldman and Jason Gordon discuss COVID-19 Charity Marketing and Compliance Challenges for brands in Law360 Article
John Feldman and Jason Gordon published an article in Law360 this week titled, “Compliance Challenges In Cos.’ COVID-19 Charity Marketing.” A copy of the article is available here. You may also view a PDF copy of the article here.
Webinar: International developments in the regulation of protecting children online: from GDPR and AVMS to COPPA
Our transatlantic team will be hosting a practical webinar looking at the significant proposed changes in the protection of children online. The webinar will look at the current trends across Europe and the US to provide insights on changes that could impact your business in the year ahead. Please click here to find out more
1-800 Contacts Eyes Reversal of Judgment for Anticompetitive Advertising Agreements
On March 5, 2020, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit heard argument on an appeal seeking to overturn judgment against contact lens distributor 1-800 Contacts (“1-800”) for antitrust violations relating to agreements with competitors on advertising keywords. This post follows our prior coverage of this matter, and is designed to highlight the
FTC Settles With Tea Maker for Inadequate Disclosures and Unsubstantiated Claims
The FTC recently settled with Teami, LLC (“Teami”), an indication that the Agency is still actively reviewing health claims and monitoring social media influencers for proper disclosures. Teami allegedly brought in over $15 million through its deceptive marketing tactics, but given the company’s financial condition, the FTC agreed to partially suspend its $15.2 million judgment
Was it all a fantasy? New York Appeals Court says fantasy sports are illegal
Introduction
On February 6, 2020, the New York Supreme Court’s Appellate Division, Third Department upheld a lower court ruling from 2018 which held that daily fantasy sports (DFS) contests amount to illegal gambling, and are thus unconstitutional in the state. In light of this decision, the New York DFS operations of popular companies like FanDuel
Expected changes to COPPA: bipartisan proposals and the FTC review
With newly proposed legislation, the House has joined the Senate in introducing bipartisan legislation making changes to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). This pending legislation, when combined with the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) ongoing COPPA review and workshop, foreshadows expanded COPPA protections, especially for teenagers between 13 and 15 years of age.
To