Information, news and updates on legal and regulatory activities pertaining to advertising and marketing around the globe
A proposed amendment to California’s Civil and Government Codes would limit the recovery of statutory damages in connection with certain digital accessibility claims, while also requiring certain government agencies to educate covered entities on their obligations to make their websites and mobile apps accessible under California law.
The accessibility amendments are proposed in Assembly Bill…
A federal appeals court has agreed to put on hold a Texas social media law, HB 20, that restricts content moderation actions on social media platforms. The Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals announced that it was granting a September request from social media platforms to block enforcement of the law as trade associations appeal…
On May 19, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) unanimously voted to publish for public comment in the Federal Register proposed changes to the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (the Guides). The proposal makes a number of changes to the Guides, which were first enacted in 1980 and later updated…
On March 10, 2022, the California Office of Attorney General Rob Bonta (OAG) issued an opinion (the Opinion) interpreting the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and concluding that consumers have a right to know “internally generated inferences” drawn from the consumer when they are derived from personal information and are used to create a profile…
Influencers tell us to “click on the link” in their bios, “shop” via their platforms and watch their videos where they summarize the good and the bad of whatever product or service they are marketing. We click, we shop and we listen to these influencers. A question that often arises for those in the influencer…
“30-day free trial,” “Cancel anytime,” “Risk-free” – if you’ve read or heard these terms associated with a subscription-based program, you may want to ensure that you are up to speed with the regulations governing automatic renewals. Programs with automatic renewals have long been a source of regulatory scrutiny, as they can trigger consumer complaints when…
As anticipated by those watching this space, Hermès filed a lawsuit in New York federal court against Mason Rothschild, an individual who created a collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) called “MetaBirkins,” which depict fuzzy versions of the iconic Hermès Birkin bag. The complaint alleges that Rothschild advertises the MetaBirkins “using the Hermès Federally Registered Trademarks”…
The Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act, a new New York Bill (the Bill), was introduced in October and was referred to a legislative committee on January 5, 2022. The goal of the Bill, which is sponsored by State Senator Alessandra Biaggi and Assemblywoman Anna R. Kelles, various fashion and sustainability nonprofits, and designer Stella McCartney, is to effectively address the environmental and social impact of large fashion companies and make them more accountable. If passed, the Bill would require any apparel or footwear companies doing business in New York with more than $100 million in annual global revenues to map out at least 50 percent of their supply chains, demonstrate where in the supply chains the companies have the greatest social and environmental impact, and set targets to reduce those impacts. “Doing Business” is broadly defined in the bill as “actively engaging in any transaction for the purpose of financial or pecuniary gain or profit.”…
The Southern District of New York dismissed a putative class action against Bimbo Bakeries (the parent company of Entenmann’s) that alleged the packaging on Entenmann’s “All Butter Loaf Cake” was misleading because the product contained soybean oil and artificial flavors, not only butter.
Continue Reading Bimbo Bakeries Beats Back All-Butter Label Suit
Yesterday the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced that it sent “Notices of Penalty Offense” (the “Notice”) to over 700 companies in nearly every industrial sector, ranging from leading retailers, tech platforms, top consumer product companies, and major advertising agencies, warning them that they could incur significant civil penalties – up to $43,792 per violation – if they use endorsements in ways that run counter to prior FTC administrative cases.
Continue Reading FTC Gone Viral: Commission Puts 700+ Companies on Notice About Deceptive Endorsements
