On May 27, 2026, the Connecticut governor signed SB 4, an omnibus privacy law, which among other things, amends the Connecticut Data Privacy Act (“CTDPA”), establishes a data broker registry and accessible deletion mechanism, imposes restrictions on the use of price setting devices and surveillance pricing, and creates requirements for direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies.
Continue Reading Connecticut Enacts Omnibus Privacy Law
Laura Kim
Laura Kim has a proven track record of successfully resolving clients’ most important consumer protection matters before the FTC, State AGs, and the NAD. She is well-known for her insider knowledge of the FTC as well as her practical approach to accomplishing her clients’ objectives.
As chair of Covington’s Advertising & Consumer Protection Investigations practice group, Laura represents corporate and individual clients in investigations before the FTC and State Attorneys General. She also provides pragmatic compliance advice on a wide range of consumer protection issues, including substantiating claims involving generative artificial intelligence, environmental benefits, and “Made in USA.” She counsels brands on emerging issues involving influencers, consumer reviews, AI-generated content, and subscription autorenewals. Laura regularly represents both challengers and advertisers before the NAD, achieving favorable outcomes in matters involving artificial intelligence, influencers, and claim substantiation.
During her twelve-year tenure at the FTC, Laura served as Assistant Director in two divisions of the Bureau of Consumer Protection, Attorney Advisor to Chairman William E. Kovacic, and Chief of Staff to Bureau Director Jessica Rich. She oversaw major rulemakings—including the Green Guides and the Telemarketing Sales Rule—and supervised dozens of investigations and enforcement actions. As Assistant Director in the Division of Enforcement, Laura also supervised compliance monitoring and enforcement proceedings for companies under federal court or Commission order.
FTC and DOJ Continue Focus on Consumer Reviews Rule with Complaint Against Premium Home Service
On May 11, 2026, the Department of Justice, acting on notification from the Federal Trade Commission, and the Illinois Attorney General, filed a complaint against “Premium Home Service” and its owner for alleged violations of Section 5 of the FTC Act, the Consumer Reviews Rule, and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB Act). The Complaint seeks injunctive relief, monetary relief, and civil penalties.
Continue Reading FTC and DOJ Continue Focus on Consumer Reviews Rule with Complaint Against Premium Home ServiceFTC Settles with Shutterstock Over Subscription Practices
On May 13, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced that Shutterstock, Inc. had agreed to a $35 million settlement resolving allegations that the company engaged in unfair and deceptive subscription practices. The FTC asserted claims under Section 5 of the FTC Act and the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (“ROSCA”), alleging that Shutterstock charged consumers who did not understand they were enrolling in a subscription, failed to adequately disclose material subscription terms, and made cancellation unnecessarily difficult. The complaint did not seek civil penalties, and the final settlement requires only consumer redress.
Continue Reading FTC Settles with Shutterstock Over Subscription PracticesMaryland Enacts Law on Personalized Food Pricing
On April 28, 2026, Maryland Governor Moore signed HB 895 (the Protection From Predatory Pricing Act) into law, which will impose limitations on the use of personalized pricing in the food retail and grocery delivery context. The law will go into effect on October 1, 2026. As we have detailed in prior blog posts, there has been a wave of personalized pricing proposals at the state level, and the FTC is focusing attention on pricing in the grocery sector.
Continue Reading Maryland Enacts Law on Personalized Food PricingFTC Seeks Comment by May 18 on Food Delivery Pricing and Fees
On April 14, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC” or “Commission”) announced an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“ANPRM”) seeking public comment on whether a new rule is needed to address fee practices by online food and grocery delivery platforms that may obscure total pricing or impede consumers’ ability to…
Continue Reading FTC Seeks Comment by May 18 on Food Delivery Pricing and FeesFTC Restarts Negative Option Rulemaking Process
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is poised to re-start a rulemaking process regarding disclosures and requirements for subscription and auto-renewing products and services. On January 30, 2026, the FTC submitted a draft Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) on the Rule Concerning the Use of Prenotification Negative Option Plans (the Rule), commonly known as the Negative Option Rule, to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) for review.
Continue Reading FTC Restarts Negative Option Rulemaking ProcessFTC Sets Aside Rytr Final Order Pursuant to White House AI Action Plan
On December 22, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) issued an order setting aside its 2024 final consent order against Rytr, LLC (“Rytr”) on the grounds that the facts alleged in the Rytr complaint did not violate Section 5. The Commission further found that the Rytr order did not provide any…
Continue Reading FTC Sets Aside Rytr Final Order Pursuant to White House AI Action PlanGreystar’s $24 Million Settlement Signals FTC Crackdown on Hidden Rental Fee
On December 2, Greystar agreed to a $24 million settlement over allegations it misled renters by omitting mandatory fees from advertised monthly rents. This settlement underscores the FTC’s continuing scrutiny of “junk fees” and signals that the FTC may pursue rulemaking requiring greater transparency in rental fee advertising.
Continue Reading Greystar’s $24 Million Settlement Signals FTC Crackdown on Hidden Rental FeeFTC Sues Live Nation and Ticketmaster for Deceptive Pricing Tactics
On September 17, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and seven states – Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia – sued Live Nation and Ticketmaster for violations of Section 5 of the FTC Act and the Better Online Ticket Sales Act (“BOTS Act”). Additionally, each state Attorney General alleges violation of various state consumer protection laws, including the Colorado Consumer Protection Act, Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, Illinois Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act, Nebraska Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act, Tennessee Consumer Protection Act, and Utah Consumer Sales Practices Act.
Continue Reading FTC Sues Live Nation and Ticketmaster for Deceptive Pricing TacticsFTC Takes Aim at Online Lead Generator
On August 7, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced a $45 million settlement with online lead generator MediaAlpha, Inc. and its subsidiary QuoteLab, LLC (collectively, “MediaAlpha”), resolving allegations that the companies misled consumers seeking health insurance products. According to the FTC, MediaAlpha tricked consumers into sharing sensitive personal information under the guise of offering health insurance options through their lead generation sites. MediaAlpha allegedly then used that data for abusive telemarketing, including calling numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry. The FTC also alleged that MediaAlpha auctioned off consumers’ information to third-party lead generators and telemarketers, who similarly used that data to make illegal telemarketing calls.
Continue Reading FTC Takes Aim at Online Lead Generator