Senators Urge FTC To Investigate Devumi

As a result of The New York Times' investigation into Devumi, a social media marketing company, Senators Jerry Moran and Richard Blumenthal wrote to the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC"), requesting that it investigate Devumi for deceptive and unfair practices.  The Senators alleged that Devumi uses bots to create fake social media accounts, engaging in "a unique kind of identity theft."  

Devumi allegedly uses "an estimated stock of at least 3.5 million automated accounts," and at least 55,000 of these accounts use "the names, profile pictures, hometowns and other personal details of real Twitter users, including minors."  

Senators Moran and Blumenthal argued that Devumi's practices have likely resulted in widespread consumer harm.  In their letter, they requested that the FTC bring enforcement actions against Devumi for deceptive or unfair marketing practices.