Public Safety Rule!

California has enacted a comprehensive package of four bills that fundamentally reshape online safety protections for minors, targeting addictive design features, data privacy practices, age verification systems, and platform liability. These new laws establish strict requirements for social media companies, including mandatory stripped-down interfaces for users under 16, enhanced privacy defaults, and potential damages up to $1 million for negligent harm to children. The legislation represents one of the m

This month’s headline FTC action was the announcement that the FTC and 22 states sued Amazon over deceptive advertising practices. But the FTC has also kept its sights trained on protecting cash-strapped consumers. The FTC announced settlements involving empty credit-repair promises, bill payment platforms masquerading as official payment channels, and tacked-on fees at used car dealerships.

On September 10, 2026, Governor Newsom signed SB 1119, known as Adam’s Law, substantially expanding California’s requirements for companion chatbots when used by children.

On June 9, 2026, a New York law that requires companies to ​“conspicuously disclose” when their ads include any ​“synthetic performer” took effect. Yesterday, California passed a similar law. Although the two laws share a similar goal, California’s law contains several notable differences.

Highway Contract Route carriers and brokers operating in the USPS surface transportation network face critical legal developments in 2026, including the Supreme Court's Montgomery v. Caribe decision eliminating federal preemption for negligent-selection claims and the ongoing nuclear verdict crisis with jury awards exceeding $10 million. These developments demand heightened attention to compliance, documentation, and risk management strategies to protect against significant liability exposure in today's tru

The FCC's Media Bureau has opened a public comment period on a challenge to its guidance regarding lowest unit charge requirements for political advertising, reigniting a contentious debate that has already seen intervention from both the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. Democratic congressional candidates are contesting the Bureau's interpretation of LUC rules for joint fundraising committees and coordinated advertisements, with comments due by late September 2026.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a preliminary injunction against Perplexity AI, determining that when an AI agent acts at a user's direction, it is the user—not the AI company—who "accesses" computer systems under federal and California computer fraud statutes. This landmark appellate decision addresses how existing computer-access laws apply to agentic artificial intelligence and has significant implications...

Revenue sharing and NIL issues have transformed college athletics into complex business operations, prompting questions about whether traditional single-department structures remain optimal. Could Disney's multi-subsidiary model offer a blueprint for universities to manage revenue-generating sports separately while supporting Olympic programs through specialized entities?

On July 22, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) adopted a Third Report and Order and Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (covered separately here) in which the Commission advances its ongoing efforts to secure the U.S.

Artificial intelligence may live in the cloud, but the underlying infrastructure that makes it possible for AI to perform is decidedly physical—and increasingly power hungry.

India's Food Safety and Standards Authority intensified enforcement in August 2026, targeting major food and beverage companies over "100%" purity claims, energy drink labeling, and packaging compliance. The regulatory actions against Dabur, ITC, Diageo, and over 150 other companies reveal how product names, packaging, and advertising copy are now treated as interconnected consumer protection issues requiring coordinated legal review.

The Advertising Standards Authority has issued a detailed ruling on Popeyes' breakfast menu advertisements, examining whether they violated new restrictions on advertising less healthy foods. The case hinged on whether products could be visually distinguished from similar menu items, with the colour of hash brown seasoning becoming a critical factor in the decision.

Kentucky's Attorney General has filed suit against reproductive health nonprofit Mayday Health, claiming the organization's advertisements for mail-order abortion pills violate state consumer protection laws. The case centers on whether advertising information about abortion pill access constitutes illegal activity when the underlying distribution is prohibited under Kentucky law, raising critical questions about state authority to regulate commercial speech.

Bosnia and Herzegovina's new Patent Law introduces the utility model as a replacement for consensual patents, restructures the relationship with the European patent system, and establishes a more detailed framework for supplementary protection certificates. These changes will require manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, and rights holders to reassess their intellectual property strategies before the law takes effect in June 2027.

When Dreame Technology advertised hair styling products claiming to dry shoulder-length hair in two minutes while showing models with much longer hair, competitor Dyson challenged the messaging at the National Advertising Division. The case explores how visual imagery in advertising can communicate claims beyond express statements, and why disclaimers cannot cure fundamentally misleading messages conveyed through powerful visuals.

The Hungarian Competition Authority has issued new guidance on market leadership claims in advertising, clarifying when businesses must substantiate statements like "the best" or "the cheapest." Understanding the distinction between subjective opinions and objectively verifiable claims is crucial, as improper use can lead to significant fines and reputational...

A federal court in New York ruled that requiring social media platforms to disclose their content moderation policies constitutes regulation of commercial speech under the First Amendment. The decision addresses whether transparency requirements about platform policies violate free speech protections, with implications for how platforms must communicate their content moderation practices to users and regulators.

India's consumer protection authority has begun actively penalizing companies for using manipulative interface designs, marking a decisive shift from advisory warnings to enforcement action. Recent cases against major platforms reveal how pre-selected checkboxes, guilt-inducing language, and misleading button labels are now being prosecuted as unfair trade practices.

The Federal Trade Commission has proposed a groundbreaking enforcement policy that would fundamentally change how businesses disclose their use of consumer data in pricing decisions. This policy statement represents the agency's most direct regulatory intervention into the controversial practice of personalized pricing, requiring companies to reveal not just that they personalize prices, but specifically how they use customer data to do so.

The Federal Trade Commission and Connecticut secured a $4 million settlement with Manchester City Nissan over allegations of deceptive pricing practices. The auto dealer allegedly advertised certified pre-owned vehicles at specific prices but charged consumers additional unauthorized fees and inflated government charges at the point of sale.