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FTC issues 6(b) orders to social media and video streaming services
By: Lesley Fair | Dec 14, 2020 2:11PM
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- Bureau of Consumer Protection
- Consumer Protection
- Advertising and Marketing
- Advertising and Marketing Basics
- Children
- Privacy and Security
- Consumer Privacy
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One digit can make a lot of difference. Would the Proclaimers have walked 501 miles? How effective was Love Potion #10? Did the Beatles ask would you still need me, would you still feed me when I’m 65? With so much attention on Section 5 of the FTC Act, some may overlook another important provision of the statute: Section 6(b). The FTC has issued 6(b) orders to nine well-known social media and video streaming platforms seeking information about their data collection, use, storage, disclosure, and deletion; advertising; user engagement; and demographic information.
Under Section 6(b), the FTC may require a company to file “reports or answers in writing to specific questions” about its business practices. The FTC just sent 6(b) orders to Amazon.com, Inc., ByteDance Ltd. (operator of TikTok), Discord Inc., Facebook, Inc., Reddit, Inc., Snap Inc., Twitter, Inc., WhatsApp Inc., and YouTube LLC.
The purpose of the orders is to help the FTC understand how the companies use consumer data. Specifically, the 6(b) orders seek more information about:
- how the companies collect, use, track, estimate, or derive personal and demographic information;
- how they determine which ads and other content are shown to consumers;
- whether they apply algorithms or data analytics to personal information;
- how they measure, promote, and research user engagement; and
- how their practices affect children and teens.
Each company will have 45 days from the date it receives the order to respond.
EVEN MORE SCAMS; Frosty the Con Man: avoiding family emergency scams
Frosty the Con Man: avoiding family emergency scams
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December 15, 2020by Carol Kando-Pineda Attorney, FTC, Division of Consumer & Business Education
“Hello? It’s me — Frosty. Look it’s a long story but without my top hat, I’m melting. Please, I need your help — send money now or I’ll be nothing but a puddle!”
OK, so that’s a silly example and real imposters aren’t funny. But, on the 8th day of Consumer Protection, it’s definitely worth remembering that scammers can be really convincing. And they don’t take a break, even at this time of year. It’s surprisingly easy for a scammer to impersonate someone to snow you. Networking sites make it easier than ever to sleuth out personal and family information. And they play on your emotions. Scammers are banking on your love and concern to outweigh your skepticism.
You might get a call or message supposedly from an out-of-town family member or friend claiming to be in an accident, arrested, or hospitalized. To make their story seem legitimate, they may involve another crook who claims to be an authority figure, like a lawyer or police officer.
What do you do if you get a message like this?
- Stop – and check it out. Resist the urge to act immediately, no matter how dramatic the story is.
- Call a phone number for your family member or friend that you know to be genuine. Or reach out to another family member or friend to check out whether what the message claims is true.
- Don’t wire money — or send a check, money order, or gift card by overnight delivery or courier.
And then tell the Federal Trade Commission: ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Blog Topics: Privacy, Identity & Online Security Scam Tags: Avoiding Scams
Frosty the Con Man: avoiding family emergency scams
Share this page
December 15, 2020by Carol Kando-Pineda Attorney, FTC, Division of Consumer & Business Education
“Hello? It’s me — Frosty. Look it’s a long story but without my top hat, I’m melting. Please, I need your help — send money now or I’ll be nothing but a puddle!”
OK, so that’s a silly example and real imposters aren’t funny. But, on the 8th day of Consumer Protection, it’s definitely worth remembering that scammers can be really convincing. And they don’t take a break, even at this time of year. It’s surprisingly easy for a scammer to impersonate someone to snow you. Networking sites make it easier than ever to sleuth out personal and family information. And they play on your emotions. Scammers are banking on your love and concern to outweigh your skepticism.
You might get a call or message supposedly from an out-of-town family member or friend claiming to be in an accident, arrested, or hospitalized. To make their story seem legitimate, they may involve another crook who claims to be an authority figure, like a lawyer or police officer.
What do you do if you get a message like this?
- Stop – and check it out. Resist the urge to act immediately, no matter how dramatic the story is.
- Call a phone number for your family member or friend that you know to be genuine. Or reach out to another family member or friend to check out whether what the message claims is true.
- Don’t wire money — or send a check, money order, or gift card by overnight delivery or courier.
And then tell the Federal Trade Commission: ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Blog Topics: Privacy, Identity & Online Security Scam Tags: Avoiding Scams
