Fake reviews continue to be a hot topic in consumer protection. In 2022, we reported that six states and the Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against Roomster – a platform through which people can find rooms and roommates – along with its owners, alleging that they had “inundated the internet with tens of thousands of fake positive reviews to bolster their false claims that properties listed on their Roomster platform are real, available, and verified.” At the same time, the regulators announced a settlement with an individual who allegedly sold Roomster many of the fake reviews.

https://www.adlawaccess.com/2023/02/articles/ftc-and-state-ags-can-continue-joint-case-over-fake-reviews/

Paul Singer
psinger@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8672
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Paul-L-Singer

Gonzalo E. Mon
Phone: (202) 342-8576
Email: gmon@kelleydrye.com
Bio: www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Gonzalo-E-Mon

Abigail Stempson
astempson@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8678
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Abigail-Stempson

Beth Chun
bchun@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8671
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Beth-Bolen-Chun

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FTC and State AGs Can Continue Joint Case Over Fake Reviews

This week, 22 State AGs led by Wisconsin, sent Hyundai and Kia a letter criticizing the companies’ lack of anti-theft immobilizers and use of a customer service campaign instead of a recall to address the problem. The letter blames the car makers for “lack of responsibility for the crisis” of car thefts with “alarmingly high rates of thefts” saying they are harming consumers and affecting public safety. Vehicle owners, the letter states, may be unable to insure their automobiles as insurance companies State Farm and Progressive have announced they have denied policies. The companies made the choice not to follow suit regarding industry practice to include the anti-theft devices as standard in the US, yet included the immobilizers in Canada and Europe. (It should be noted that Canada and EU transportation agencies appear to require these by law, and NHTSA does not).

https://www.adlawaccess.com/2023/03/articles/state-ags-to-businesses-protect-your-customers-from-criminal-activity/

Paul Singer
psinger@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8672
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Paul-L-Singer

Abigail Stempson
astempson@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8678
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Abigail-Stempson

Beth Chun
bchun@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8671
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Beth-Bolen-Chun

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State AGs to Businesses- Protect your Customers from Criminal Activity

Our State AG webinar series continues, this time with Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Chief of the Consumer Protection Section Melissa Wright. During our webinar, the Ohio AG’s office highlighted its consumer protection work as it relates to veterans and its Robocall Enforcement Unit. In case you missed it, here is a recording of the webinar. We have also recapped what we learned below.

https://www.adlawaccess.com/2023/03/articles/state-ags-and-consumer-protection-what-we-learned-from-ohio/

Paul Singer
psinger@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8672
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Paul-L-Singer

Abigail Stempson
astempson@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8678
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Abigail-Stempson

Beth Chun
bchun@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8671
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Beth-Bolen-Chun

Darby Hobbs
dhobbs@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8412
https://www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Darby-B-Hobbs

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Find all of our links here linktr.ee/KelleyDryeAdLaw

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State AGs and Consumer Protection- What We Learned from... Ohio

Earlier this week, District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb settled one of two outstanding lawsuits against the Washington Commanders – this time over allegedly deceptive practices related to security deposits paid by season ticket holders.  These deposits, which averaged $1,200, were supposed to be returned by the team thirty days after the expiration of ticket holders’ contracts, but the AG alleged they were instead retained by the team for years.  Moreover, the AG alleged that the team created additional hurdles for consumers who did seek their deposits back, including requiring a signed, written request, which was never disclosed to consumers as a requirement for a refund.  Former AG Karl Racine originally brought the case in 2022 alleging that this conduct violated the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Procedures Act (“CPPA”).

https://www.adlawaccess.com/2023/04/articles/d-c-attorney-general-settles-with-washington-commanders-over-misleading-deposits/

Paul Singer
psinger@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8672
https://www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Paul-L-Singer

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D.C. Attorney General Settles with Washington Commanders

While it may be common knowledge for many that state attorneys general (State AGs) bring enforcement actions under state consumer protection laws, it is likely less well-known that the State AGs also serve a role under the Class Action Fairness Act (CAFA). State AGs typically receive notice through CAFA as “appropriate state officials” if the settlement proposed includes class members in their state.

https://www.adlawaccess.com/2023/04/articles/state-ags-and-their-role-in-class-actions/

Paul Singer
psinger@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8672
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Paul-L-Singer

Abigail Stempson
astempson@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8678
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Abigail-Stempson

Beth Chun
bchun@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8671
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Beth-Bolen-Chun

Subscribe to the Ad Law Access blog - www.adlawaccess.com/subscribe/

Subscribe to the Ad Law News Newsletter - https://www.kelleydrye.com/News-Events/Publications/Newsletters/Ad-Law-News-and-Views?dlg=1

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Find all of our links here linktr.ee/KelleyDryeAdLaw

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State AGs an their Role in Class Action

This week, State AGs and their staff gathered to participate in the annual National Association of Attorneys General AG Symposium, where they discussed topics such as leadership, relationships with prosecutors, and Supreme Court updates. One of the most topical panels was a discussion of “Regulating Algorithms – The How and Why” moderated by Natalie Hanlon Leh, Chief Deputy AG of the Colorado AG’s Office and featuring several academics in law and technology including Professors Ellen P. Goodman, Michael Kearns, and Beth Simone Noveck.

https://www.adlawaccess.com/2023/04/articles/state-ags-regulating-algorithms-the-how-and-why/

Paul Singer
psinger@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8672
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Paul-L-Singer

Abigail Stempson
astempson@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8678
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Abigail-Stempson

Beth Chun
bchun@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8671
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Beth-Bolen-Chun

Subscribe to the Ad Law Access blog - www.adlawaccess.com/subscribe/

Subscribe to the Ad Law News Newsletter - https://www.kelleydrye.com/News-Events/Publications/Newsletters/Ad-Law-News-and-Views?dlg=1

View the Advertising and Privacy Law Resource Center - https://www.kelleydrye.com/Advertising-and-Privacy-Law-Resource-Center

Find all of our links here linktr.ee/KelleyDryeAdLaw

Hosted by Simone Roach

State AGs "Regulating Algorithms - The How and Why"

Enforcement in the telehealth space continues – this time with a bipartisan settlement between 11 State AGs and Visibly (f.k.a. Opternative), a vision telehealth company. Unlike recent telehealth settlements where enforcers focused on consumer privacy, the State AGs focused on whether the company’s claims about its products and services, including its online vision tests, were properly substantiated.

https://www.adlawaccess.com/2023/04/articles/state-ags-see-eye-to-eye-on-recent-telehealth-settlement/

Paul Singer
psinger@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8672
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Paul-L-Singer

Abigail Stempson
astempson@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8678
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Abigail-Stempson

Beth Chun
bchun@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8671
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Beth-Bolen-Chun

Subscribe to the Ad Law Access blog - www.adlawaccess.com/subscribe/

Subscribe to the Ad Law News Newsletter - https://www.kelleydrye.com/News-Events/Publications/Newsletters/Ad-Law-News-and-Views?dlg=1

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Find all of our links here linktr.ee/KelleyDryeAdLaw

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State AGs See Eye to Eye on Recent Telehealth Settlement

In January 2022, the Texas Attorney General filed a lawsuit against Google alleging that the company engaged iHeartMedia DJs to provide endorsements for its Pixel 4 phone, even though they had never used it. In November 2022, the FTC and several state attorneys general announced settlements with Google and iHeartMedia over the same conduct. Although Texas settled with iHeartMedia, it continued to separately pursue its case against Google. Last week, the parties agreed to a settlement.

https://www.adlawaccess.com/2023/05/articles/google-to-pay-8-m-to-settle-with-texas-over-dj-endorsements/

Gonzalo Mon
gmon@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8576
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Gonzalo-E-Mon

Paul Singer
psinger@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8672
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Paul-L-Singer

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Find all of our links here linktr.ee/KelleyDryeAdLaw

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Google to Pay $8M to Settle with Texas Over DJ Endorsements

Last month, the Texas Attorney General agreed to a settlement in principle with car manufacturers Audi and Volkswagen requiring them to pay a civil penalty of $85 million for alleged violations of the Texas Clean Air Act and environmental regulations. In 2015, the Texas AG filed separate consumer protection and environmental lawsuits against Volkswagen and Audi alleging that the companies used illegal emission-evading technology to defeat state emission tests. Texas had settled its consumer protection at the same time as a multistate settlement agreement in November 2016.

https://www.adlawaccess.com/2023/06/articles/texas-ags-broad-jurisdiction-results-in-settlement-with-vw-and-audi/

Paul Singer
psinger@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8672
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Paul-L-Singer

Beth Chun
bchun@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8671
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Beth-Bolen-Chun

Caroline Schmitz
cschmitz@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8459
https://www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Caroline-T-Schmitz

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Find all of our links here linktr.ee/KelleyDryeAdLaw

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Texas AG's Broad Jurisdiction Results in Settlement with VW and Audi

Our State AG webinar series continues, this time with Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers and Consumer Protection Division Chief Phil Carlson, a position previously held by our own Abby Stempson. During our webinar, the Nebraska AG’s Office highlighted its consumer protection work during a time of transition and general consumer protection topics.  In case you missed it, here is a recording of the webinar.  We recap what we learned below.

https://www.adlawaccess.com/2023/06/articles/state-ags-and-consumer-protection-what-we-learned-from-nebraska/

Paul Singer
psinger@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8672
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Paul-L-Singer

Abigail Stempson
astempson@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8678
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Abigail-Stempson

Beth Chun
bchun@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8671
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Beth-Bolen-Chun

Kaelyne Wietelman
kwietelman@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8478
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Kael…Yumul-Wietelman

Darby Hobbs
dhobbs@kelleydrye.com
(202) 342-8412
www.kelleydrye.com/Our-People/Darby-B-Hobbs

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Find all of our links here linktr.ee/KelleyDryeAdLaw

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State AGs and Consumer Protection - What we Learned from Nebraska

The Ad Law Access podcast, now available daily, is powered by Kelley Drye’s Advertising and Privacy / Data Security teams. 

Hosted by Simone Roach, the daily podcast complements the award-winning Ad Law Access blog, and provides updates and analysis on advertising, marketing, and privacy / data security law.

Please visit the Advertising and Privacy Law Resource Center at https://www.kelleydrye.com/Advertising-and-Privacy-Law-Resource-Center and our award winning blog at https://adlawaccess.com.

New tracks tagged #State Attorney General