Editing Federal Trade Commission

The '''[[wikipedia:Federal_Trade_Commission|Federal Trade Commission]]''' (FTC), established in 1914, is a federal agency enforcing anti-trust laws and consumer protection measures in the United States.

The agency consists of five commissioners serving seven-year terms, with no more than three permitted from the same political party. The FTC shares civil anti-trust enforcement with the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division. Operating from Washington DC's Federal Triangle, the FTC works through three bureaus: [[Bureau of Consumer Protection|Consumer Protection]], Competition, and Economics.<ref>"[https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc About the FTC"] - ftc.gov</ref>

The agency's scope has evolved since its founding. Initially focused on addressing monopolistic trusts, it received consumer protection authority in 1938 and industry-wide rulemaking powers in 1975. The FTC enforces consumer-protection statutes, including telemarketing regulations and credit-opportunity laws. Under Chair Lina Khan's leadership from 2021 to 2025, the agency continued its mandate of market-competition oversight and consumer protection through enforcement actions, research, and educational initiatives. The FTC's role in shaping market dynamics involves balancing consumer protection with business practices, while its effectiveness is evaluated through economic and legal analysis.<ref>[https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/mission "Mission"] - ftc.gov</ref>

The FTC's public-facing website features various categories of guidance such as for "Health Claims", "Debt Collection", "Children's Privacy" and "Automobiles."<ref>[https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance "Business Guidance"] - ftc.gov</ref>  The Commission's website also includes legal resources ranging from summary-level information such as "Banned Debt Collectors"<ref>[https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/cases-proceedings/banned-debt-collectors/list "Banned Debt Collectors"] - ftc.gov</ref>, case-level information such as actions initiated by the FTC, and interactive case search tools<ref>[https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/cases-proceedings?sort_by=field_date&items_per_page=20 "Legal Library: Cases and Proceedings"] - ftc.gov</ref>.

Lina Khan stepped down from the FTC on January 19, 2025. Lawyer Andrew N. Ferguson is currently serving as acting Chair under President Donald Trump as of January 20, 2025.<ref>[https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/commissioners-staff/andrew-n-ferguson "Andrew N. Ferguson Bio"] - ftc.gov</ref>

==Right to Repair==

In recent years, the FTC has released stated policies that warn against interfering with ability to repair, solicit the public for specific complaints, as well as plans to increase focus on such practices in the market.

<blockquote>"While unlawful repair restrictions have generally not been an enforcement priority for the Commission for a number of years, the Commission has determined that it will devote more enforcement resources to combat these practices. Accordingly, the Commission will now prioritize investigations into unlawful repair restrictions under relevant statutes such as the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act6 and Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act." — Policy Statement of the Federal Trade Commission on Repair Restrictions Imposed by Manufacturers and Sellers, 2021</blockquote>

The FTC has also pursued actions against companies like [[John Deere]] for their failure to address concerns previously raised about access to proprietary repair tools they made necessary to service their products.

==Consumer Review Fairness Act==

Per the FTC: The Act generally makes provisions of form contracts between sellers and individual consumers void from inception if the provisions: (1) prohibit or restrict individuals from reviewing sellers’ goods, services, or conduct; (2) impose penalties or fees on individuals for such reviews; or (3) require individuals to transfer intellectual property rights in such reviews. The Act also bars sellers from offering form contracts with such provisions. The Act contains certain exceptions, including for contract provisions that bar the submission of confidential, private, or unlawful information.<ref>"[https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/statutes/consumer-review-fairness-act "Consumer Review Fairness Act"] -ftc.gov</ref> In 2019, the FTC published a guide for social media influencers on when and how to disclose their relationship with brands whose products they endorse.<ref>"[https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/plain-language/1001a-influencer-guide-508_1.pdf Disclosures for Social Media Influencers"] -ftc.gov</ref> 

==See also==

*[[FTC settlement with X-Mode and Outlogic]]

==References==
[[Category:Common terms]]
[[Category:Regulatory agencies and public support bodies]]
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