Consumers Affected
3,000,000
The FTC settled with Humor Rainbow, Inc. (operator of OkCupid) and Match Group Americas over allegations that OkCupid deceived users by sharing personal data including photos and location information with an unauthorized third party, contrary to its privacy policy promises to inform users and provide opt-out opportunities. The settlement permanently prohibits the companies from misrepresenting their data collection, use, disclosure, and privacy control practices. No monetary penalty was imposed.
The companies are permanently enjoined from misrepresenting any aspects of their personal data collection, use, disclosure, protection, or deletion practices, the purpose of such processing, or the functionality of their privacy controls and consumer options under state privacy laws. No monetary penalty was imposed.
In-house legal teams should review data processing and sharing clauses in vendor, customer, and partner agreements to ensure they align with public privacy policy promises, particularly regarding third-party data sharing and opt-out rights. Vendor agreements must include explicit restrictions on how shared user data (including photos, geolocation, and demographic information) can be used, and require third parties to notify the company of any data use changes. Customer-facing privacy policies and associated terms of service should be audited to confirm that all representations about data sharing, opt-out mechanisms, and privacy controls are accurate and implemented in practice. Additionally, agreements with affiliates and investors should prohibit unauthorized data sharing based on non-business relationships, and include breach notification clauses requiring prompt disclosure of any unauthorized data disclosures.
Entity
Humor Rainbow, Inc. and Match Group Americas
Industry
Social MediaOfficial Press Release
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/03/ftc-takes-action-against-match-okcupid-deceiving-users-sharing-personal-data-third-party
OkCupid MatchComplaint
https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/OkCupid-MatchComplaint.pdf
MatchGroupAmericasandHumorRainbowStipulatedOrder
https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/MatchGroupAmericasandHumorRainbowStipulatedOrder.pdf
Federal Trade Commission Enforcement Page
https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement
"March 30, 2026"
"OkCupid, operated by Dallas-based Humor Rainbow, Inc., and Match Group Americas, which provides services for Humor Rainbow, will be prohibited from misrepresenting its privacy policies."
"As part of a settlement, OkCupid, operated by Dallas-based Humor Rainbow, Inc., and Match Group Americas, which provides services for Humor Rainbow, will be prohibited from misrepresenting its privacy policies."
"OkCupid gave an unauthorized third party access to the personal data of millions of OkCupid users in violation of its privacy policies."
"its privacy policy at the time claimed it may share personal information with service providers, business partners, other entities within its family of businesses or when it informed consumers about such data sharing and gave consumers the chance to opt out. Despite these promises, OkCupid shared users’ personal data with a third party—even though it was not a service provider, business partner, or family affiliate—and did not inform consumers or give them the chance to opt out of such sharing."
"sharing their personal information, including photos and location information, with an unrelated third party"
The FTC sent warning letters to 12 companies offering 'nudify' tools that generate nonconsensual intimate images, for failing to comply with the TAKE IT DOWN Act (TIDA) by not providing a mechanism for victims to request removal of such content. The letters urge immediate compliance with TIDA, which requires platforms to remove nonconsensual intimate images within 48 hours of a valid request. Noncompliant companies may face future legal action and civil penalties of up to $53,088 per violation.
The FTC began enforcing the TAKE IT DOWN Act on May 19, 2026, a law requiring covered platforms to establish a process for victims to request removal of nonconsensual intimate images and delete such content within 48 hours of a valid request. The agency launched a consumer complaint portal, issued compliance guidance for businesses and consumers, and sent reminder letters to major platforms including Meta, TikTok, and X about their obligations under the law. No specific penalties or enforcement actions against individual companies were announced in this release.
$6.5M
A federal court held Cliq Inc. and its executives Andrew Phillips and John Blaugrund in civil contempt for multiple violations of a 2015 FTC order requiring the payment processor to prevent enabling consumer fraud. The court found the defendants facilitated fraud by processing transactions for high-risk merchants, avoiding fraud monitoring, failing to conduct required underwriting, and ignoring chargeback thresholds. The court imposed $6.5 million in civil contempt sanctions against the defendants.
$795.8M
The FTC and State of Nevada settled charges with lead defendants of the IM Mastery Academy MLM scheme, including Chris and Isis Terry and their affiliated companies, over false earnings claims used to promote financial training programs and a multi-level marketing venture. The stipulated order imposes a $795.8 million judgment, with defendants surrendering nearly $90 million in assets including luxury real estate, vehicles, jewelry, and a yacht, totaling over $100 million with prior judgments from other involved defendants. The order also bans defendants from selling trading-training services, prohibits false earnings claims, and restricts deceptive practices including negative-option misrepresentations and telemarketing violations.
The FTC and State of Illinois, via the Department of Justice, filed a complaint against B.E.S.T. GDR LLC (d/b/a Premium Home Service) and its owner Yosef Bernath for creating thousands of fake home repair business listings with fabricated five-star reviews to deceive consumers. The defendants allegedly routed consumer calls to unqualified representatives, arranged for unlicensed technicians, and violated the FTC Act, Reviews and Testimonials Rule, Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, and Illinois consumer protection laws. No monetary penalty has been imposed yet as the case is in initial filing stages.
Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson sent letters to over a dozen major technology companies reminding them of their obligation to comply with the Take It Down Act (TIDA) by May 19, 2026. TIDA requires covered platforms to establish a process for victims, including children, to request removal of nonconsensual intimate images, with takedown of content and all identical copies required within 48 hours of a valid request. The FTC also issued supplemental guidance to help companies prepare for compliance and warned that it will monitor and enforce violations of the law.