European Union Signs Off on Microsoft Purchase of Skype

The European Union approved Microsoft’s $8.5 billion purchase of online phone company Skype. The EU’s approval is thought to be the final hurdle in finalizing the deal.

There had been opposition to the acquisition from competitors of Skype, who argued the communication company’s 145 million active users combined with Microsoft’s market heft would lead to an unfair advantage.

However the…

FTC: Consumer Confidence in Internet Marketplace Relies on Privacy Protections

The Federal Trade Commission has told Congress consumers must be confident their privacy will be protected if they were to take advantage of all the benefits offered by the Internet marketplace.

“Privacy has been an important component of the consumer protection mission for 40 years,” stated Commissioner

FTC Revises Guidance to Businesses on Disclosures in Online Advertising

The Federal Trade Commission is updating its “Dot Com Disclosures: Information About Online Advertising,” a document that advises businesses how federal advertising law applies to advertising and sales online, and now the public has a say in what revisions should be made to reflect a technologically transformed world.

As the Internet domain has…

Online Marketers Accused of Swindling Consumers in $450M Scheme

The Federal Trade Commission has filed a complaint against an online operation that allegedly raked in more than $450 million from consumers in the United States and overseas by luring them into “free” or “risk-free” offers, and then charging them for products and services they did not agree to buy.

“The defendants used the lure of a ‘free’ offer to open an illegal pipeline to consumers’…

FTC Settles Charges of Data Breach that Exposed 65K Customers’ Info

Two companies that maintain large amounts of sensitive information about the employees of their business customers, including Social Security numbers, have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they failed to take  adequate  security measures to protect data.

In complaints filed against Ceridian Corporation and Lookout Services,…

Twitter Settles with FTC, Must Create ‘Comprehensive’ Cybersecurity Program

The Federal Trade Commission has agreed on a settlement with Twitter stemming from allegations that the micro blog  deceived consumers and put their privacy at risk by failing to safeguard their personal information, resulting in a breach that allowed hackers to take over Twitter twice in 2009.

At the time of the attacks, FTC said Twitter’s privacy…

ID Theft Tops List of Consumers Complaints

A list of top consumer complaints in 2010 has revealed that identity theft continues to be the No. 1 complaints category for the 11th consecutive year.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, of 1,339,265 complaints received last year, 250,854 – or 19 percent – were related to identity theft.

Debt collection complaints came in second place, with 144,159…

FTC Names its First Chief Technologist

The Federal Trade Commission has appointed its first chief technologist: Edward W. Felten, who will advise the agency on evolving technology and policy issues.

Felten, a professor of computer science and public affairs at Princeton University, has consulted for federal agencies, including FTC and departments of Justice and Defense. He…

Microsoft Embeds Alerts about Scams in Search Engine

Microsoft has added alerts to its search engine Bing in an effort to educate users about scams on the Internet.

Microsoft is working with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Trade Commission, and Western Union to effectively launch the series of public-service announcements on common scams.

The ads come up in searches commonly exploited by scammers. The searches provide useful and common-sense tips, such as verifying the identity…