Federal and state enforcement actions involving consent failure violations, tracked from official government sources.
186
Total Actions
$3.0B
Total Fines
12
Jurisdictions
The FTC alleged that payment processor Humboldt Merchant Services knowingly processed payments for more than 1,000 shell merchant entities serving as fronts for fraudulent companies engaged in unauthorized billing scams, despite red flags including chargeback rates nearly 10 times higher than card-brand thresholds. Under the proposed stipulated order filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Humboldt will pay $12 million for consumer redress and is permanently banned from processing payments for merchants with a heightened risk of potential fraud.
$12.0M
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced a civil investigative demand into MediaLab.AI Inc., owner of the Kik Messenger app, over lax age assurance practices, content moderation, and child safety failures that advocates have dubbed a "predator's paradise." The action follows a July 2025 notice of violation under the Connecticut Data Privacy Act for privacy notice deficiencies and processing sensitive data — including health, biometric, and precise geolocation data — without proper consent, which the company has only partially addressed. The new investigation seeks records related to practices that may constitute unfair or deceptive acts or practices under the CTDPA and the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act. No fine has been imposed to date.
The FTC finalized orders requiring CMG Media Corporation (doing business as Cox Media Group), MindSift LLC, and 1010 Digital Works LLC to pay a total of $930,000 for falsely claiming they offered an AI-powered service that could target ads based on conversations captured from consumers' smart devices, and that consumers had opted into such targeting. The orders also prohibit the companies from making misrepresentations about their advertising services, voice data collection, and consumer consent.
$930K
New York Attorney General Letitia James secured $400,000 from Thirty Madison, Inc., an online medication provider, for misleading consumers about auto-renewing subscriptions and making cancellation difficult. The company failed to clearly disclose subscription terms and non-refundable fees, and required multiple steps to cancel. The settlement requires payment, refunds to eligible subscribers, and changes to subscription practices.
$400K
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced a settlement with Cobblestone Denver Opco, LLC (Cobblestone Car Wash) over allegations that the company used unfair automatic renewal practices for monthly membership fees. The company failed to provide proper disclosures, notices, terms, and cancellation options, locking over 70,000 consumers into auto-renewal contracts. Cobblestone will pay $1,353,465 in restitution, has already refunded $253,406 to consumers, and must comply with the Colorado Consumer Protection Act, including providing easy-to-access cancellation options and 25-day advance notice of price increases.
$1.4M
A bipartisan coalition of 33 state attorneys general, led by Minnesota AG Keith Ellison, began trial against Meta Platforms, Inc., alleging the company knowingly designed and deployed harmful features on Facebook and Instagram that drive children and teens to use the platforms compulsively, while falsely assuring parents and the public that its platforms were safe for young users. The states also allege Meta illegally collected personal information from children under 13 without parental consent, violating COPPA. The trial opened before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, with the states seeking monetary penalties and injunctive relief.
The FTC and Connecticut secured a $4 million settlement with Chase Nissan LLC (doing business as Manchester City Nissan) over allegations the dealership charged consumers unauthorized fees, including double-charging for 'certified pre-owned' vehicles and inserting charges like total loss protection into financing agreements without consent. The settlement requires $4 million in consumer redress, prohibits misrepresentations about vehicle certification and warranties, mandates prominent disclosure of the maximum total vehicle price, and requires express informed consent for all charges.
$4.0M
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong and the Federal Trade Commission announced a $4 million settlement with Manchester City Nissan (Chase Nissan LLC) resolving allegations that the dealership double-charged for 'certified pre-owned' vehicles and collected unauthorized junk fees. The settlement requires payment for consumer redress, prohibits misrepresentations, mandates clear disclosure of the maximum total price, and requires express informed consent for all charges.
$4.0M
A bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general led by New Jersey, California, Colorado, and Kentucky is taking Meta Platforms, Inc. to trial, alleging that Meta designed addictive features on Instagram and Facebook that harm minors' mental health, illegally collected data from children under 13 without the required protections under COPPA, and misled users about platform safety. Opening arguments begin August 18, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. No monetary penalty or final remedy has yet been imposed.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed an opposition to X.AI's motion for a preliminary injunction seeking to block enforcement of Minnesota's anti-nudification law, which bans commercial platforms from allowing users to generate synthetic intimate images of real people. The court previously denied X.AI's motion for a temporary restraining order, and the law took effect August 1, 2026. The AG argues X.AI cannot show irreparable harm and is unlikely to prevail on the merits of its First Amendment claims.
New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a statement marking the first day of trial in a multistate lawsuit against Meta, alleging the company knowingly designed addictive features on Facebook and Instagram that harm children's mental health. The coalition alleges Meta illegally collected personal information from children under 13 without parental consent, violating COPPA, and seeks monetary penalties, restitution, and an injunction against deceptive practices.
The FTC filed a complaint against Credit Glory LLC and related entities for deceptive credit repair practices, including false promises, impersonating debt collectors, charging illegal upfront fees, and using negative option billing without consent. A federal court temporarily halted the operation.
Attorney General Tong led a coalition of 43 states and territories in announcing a $400 million settlement in principle with Sandoz Inc. to resolve allegations that the generic drug manufacturer engaged in conspiracies to artificially inflate and manipulate prices, reduce competition, and unreasonably restrain trade. Sandoz will pay approximately $469 million total and implement internal reforms to ensure fair competition and compliance with antitrust laws.
$400.0M
The Minnesota court denied X.AI's request for a temporary restraining order that would have halted enforcement of Minnesota's first-in-the-nation AI nudification ban (HF 1606). The law bans technology that generates fake nude images of real people, and Attorney General Ellison argued that X.AI's delay in filing the motion showed no immediate harm. The court agreed, allowing the law to take effect as planned.
The FTC, along with Utah and California, filed a complaint against Hims & Hers alleging the telehealth provider shared consumers' sensitive health information with third-party advertising platforms without consent, and deceived consumers about billing and cancellation practices. The complaint alleges violations of the FTC Act and the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act.
New York Attorney General Letitia James released final rules implementing the SAFE for Kids Act, which requires social media companies to restrict algorithmically personalized feeds and nighttime notifications for users under 18 unless they obtain parental consent. The rules establish age assurance standards, parental consent procedures, and data minimization requirements, with civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation for noncompliance.
Attorney General Rayfield and a coalition of 49 other attorneys general sent a letter to the FCC urging it to strengthen its Know Your Customer (KYC) rules to combat illegal robocalls. The coalition recommends requiring providers to understand customers' business, applying KYC standards to all providers, and collecting additional information on high-risk customers. No monetary penalty was imposed.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and a bipartisan coalition of 50 attorneys general submitted comments to the FCC urging stronger Know Your Customer (KYC) rules to prevent scammers from using the U.S. communications network for illegal robocalls. The coalition recommends requiring providers to understand customers' business practices, holding all originating providers to KYC standards, and collecting additional information on high-risk customers. This effort is part of Phase 2 of Operation Robocall Roundup.
Attorney General Dan Rayfield and 49 other state attorneys general sent a letter to the FCC urging stronger 'Know Your Customer' rules to combat illegal robocalls. The coalition requests that phone companies verify customer identities and business practices to prevent scammers from using the network. The letter is part of Phase 2 of Operation Robocall Roundup.
Attorney General William Tong and a bipartisan coalition of 49 other attorneys general submitted comments to the FCC urging stronger Know Your Customer (KYC) rules to prevent illegal robocalls. The coalition recommends requiring originating voice service providers to understand customers' business practices, apply KYC standards to all providers regardless of size, and collect additional information on high-risk customers. The action is part of Phase 2 of Operation Robocall Roundup.
New York Attorney General Letitia James secured $375,000 from 1-800-Flowers.com, Inc. for misleading consumers and enrolling them in automatically-renewing paid subscriptions without clear disclosure or consent. The settlement requires 1-800-Flowers to pay penalties, change its subscription practices, and provide refunds to eligible subscribers.
$375K
The FTC charged the founders of Celsius Network with deceiving consumers by falsely promising that cryptocurrency deposits were safe and always available. The founders agreed to pay $16.5 million and are banned from marketing or selling products that can be used to deposit or withdraw assets, among other restrictions.
$16.5M
A coalition of 42 state attorneys general settled with the bankruptcy trustee for 23andMe over a 2023 data breach that exposed genetic data of 6.9 million customers. The states will receive $18 million from bankruptcy funds, and 23andMe agreed to enhanced data security requirements and consumer deletion rights as part of the asset sale to TTAM Research Institute.
$18.0M
Attorney General Ellison and 48 other attorneys general called on the FCC to strengthen rules to cut off scammers' access to legitimate telephone numbers. The coalition is responding to the FCC's proposed rules to combat illegal robocalls and texts, which cost Americans nearly $2 billion last year.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton opened an investigation into LinkedIn Corporation over allegations that the company advertised and profited from fake or misleading job opportunities ("ghost jobs") on its platform. The investigation focuses on whether LinkedIn misled consumers who paid for Premium subscriptions by failing to disclose that a significant percentage of job postings may be inactive or not genuine hiring opportunities.
Attorney General William Tong and 48 other attorneys general submitted comments to the FCC urging stronger rules to prevent scammers from accessing legitimate telephone numbers for illegal robocalls. The coalition is responding to the FCC's proposed rules and asks for measures such as stronger certification, reporting, and prohibitions on number cycling.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison reached a settlement with Annelle Soberay and Omega Dental Care, a defunct dental clinic that shut down in late 2024 without providing advance notice or transitional care to patients. The settlement allows consumers to obtain refunds from the Consumer Protection Restitution Account for fees paid for services that were never provided.
New York Attorney General Letitia James sued 3M, DuPont, and other chemical companies for knowingly causing decades of PFAS pollution through consumer products. The lawsuit alleges the companies hid toxicity risks, failed to warn the public, and seeks cleanup funding, damages, and injunctive relief.
Attorney General Phil Weiser announced a $45 million multistate settlement with Block, Inc., the company behind Cash App, for misleading consumers about the safety of the platform and failing to protect users from fraud. The settlement requires Block to implement antifraud measures, provide customer support, and stop deceptive marketing practices.
$45.0M
New York Attorney General Letitia James and a bipartisan coalition of 45 other attorneys general secured $45 million from Block, Inc., the company behind Cash App, for misleading users about the platform's security and failing to protect them from fraud. The settlement requires Block to implement changes including maintaining live customer support, stopping misleading marketing, and fulfilling legal obligations to investigate fraud claims and reimburse users for unauthorized transactions.
$45.0M
Attorney General Keith Ellison announced a $45 million multistate settlement with Block, Inc., the company behind Cash App. The settlement resolves allegations that Block misled consumers about the safety of Cash App, failed to protect users from fraud, and did not provide promised fraud protection and resolution. Block agreed to implement responsible practices including maintaining customer support, offering live support, stopping misleading claims, and fulfilling legal obligations to investigate fraud and reimburse users.
$45.0M
Attorney General Tong announced a $45 million multistate settlement with Block, Inc., the company behind Cash App, for misleading consumers about the safety of the platform, failing to protect users from fraud, and not providing promised fraud protection and resolution services. The settlement requires Block to implement major reforms including real customer support, transparent communications, and security commitments, and reaffirms Block's commitment to distribute between $75 million and $120 million to compensate consumers as part of a separate CFPB settlement.
$45.0M
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones announced a court ruling denying Meta Platforms, Inc.'s motion for summary judgment in a lawsuit alleging Meta designed Facebook and Instagram to addict children and misled parents. The court allowed claims under COPPA and the Virginia Consumer Protection Act to proceed to trial, scheduled for August 2026.
New York Attorney General Letitia James joined a bipartisan coalition of 48 other attorneys general in submitting comments to the FCC urging stronger rules to combat illegal robocalls. The coalition recommends expanding the definition of telephone number resellers, prohibiting resale of certain numbers, and requiring mandatory education for companies selling phone numbers. This is a regulatory advocacy action, not a direct enforcement action against a specific company.
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport co-led a coalition of 49 attorneys general in calling on the FCC to strengthen rules to cut off scammers' access to legitimate telephone numbers. The coalition's letter requests stronger certification rules, regular reporting, and prohibitions on number cycling to combat illegal robocalls.
The FTC and New York Attorney General took action against Handy Technologies for deceptive earnings claims and failure to disclose fees and fines that led to millions of dollars being withheld from workers' wages. The FTC is sending over $2.7 million in refunds to 62,893 affected consumers.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a settlement with Walmart over deceptive practices in its Spark Driver program. Walmart misrepresented driver pay, including failing to pass on customer tips and altering base pay after drivers accepted offers. The $13 million settlement provides direct payments to affected Texas drivers and requires Walmart to implement honest compensation practices.
$13.0M
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced an investigation into StubHub for failing to deliver FIFA World Cup tickets that fans purchased. The investigation focuses on reports of 'ghost ticketing,' where sellers list tickets they do not possess, collect payment, and cancel when unable to deliver.
The FTC alleged that Hopper, a travel booking app, charged consumers hidden and pre-selected fees (Tip and VIP Support) without their consent, and misrepresented the benefits of its VIP Support and Price Freeze services. Hopper agreed to pay $35 million for consumer redress and is prohibited from misrepresenting fees, with requirements to clearly disclose fees and total prices.
$35.0M
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced that new amendments to the state's automatic renewal law took effect July 1, 2026. The law requires covered businesses to provide annual renewal reminders, offer easy cancellation options (including online or by email), and promptly process cancellation requests without obstruction. Non-compliance may be considered an unfair trade practice subject to investigation by the AG's office and the Department of Consumer Protection.
A Minnesota jury found home seller Chadwick Banken liable for violating the Minnesota Human Rights Act by targeting Muslim homebuyers in a deceptive contract for deed scheme. The scheme involved inflated prices, large down payments, and balloon payments designed to cause defaults, allowing Banken to keep payments and resell properties. Remedies including restitution will be determined at a later hearing.
The Colorado Attorney General settled with Unlock Partnership Solutions, Inc., which marketed home equity agreements that were determined to be consumer credit transactions subject to Colorado's Uniform Consumer Credit Code and Consumer Equity Protection Act. The company must comply with lending laws, rate caps, disclosures, and licensing, and pay $283,375 in restitution to 125 consumers, with additional payments expected.
The FTC sued the Genesis Tech enterprise and its owners for operating deceptive internet-based subscription schemes. The defendants allegedly misled consumers about subscription terms, billed without authorization, and made cancellation difficult. The court granted a temporary halt to the operations pending trial.
The FTC, along with Alaska, Iowa, Nebraska, and Texas, filed a lawsuit against WPATH alleging the organization made false and unsubstantiated claims about the necessity, safety, and effectiveness of pediatric medical transition services. The complaint alleges WPATH misled parents and children about medical consensus and failed to disclose serious side effects, in violation of the FTC Act.
The FTC filed a contempt motion against Amare Global Holdings, Shawn Talbott, Patrick Hintze, and Hiep Tran for allegedly violating a 2005 FTC order that prohibited Talbott from making unsubstantiated health claims. The motion alleges that the defendants marketed dietary supplements for children and adults with false claims about treating depression, anxiety, and ADHD, and misrepresented scientific evidence. The FTC seeks compensatory damages for consumers.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and a bipartisan coalition of 18 attorneys general announced a $4.87 million settlement with GS Labs, a former COVID-19 rapid testing business. The company was found to have violated the Colorado Consumer Protection Act by falsely advertising test results with no wait times, same day appointments, and no out-of-pocket expenses, while overcharging consumers and insurance providers.
$4.9M
Attorney General Ellison announced a $4.87 million multistate settlement with GS Labs for overcharging patients, charging unlawful administrative fees, and failing to deliver timely COVID-19 test results. The settlement includes $3.63 million in restitution to affected consumers and $1.25 million to the multistate group, along with injunctive relief if GS Labs resumes operations.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a lawsuit against Bridge It, Inc. (doing business as Brigit) for violating Minnesota's payday lending laws. The lawsuit alleges Brigit operates as an unlicensed lender making short-term loans with APRs exceeding 300%, without disclosing rates or complying with state interest caps and disclosure requirements.
The FTC is returning nearly $3 million to consumers deceived by the Golden Home Services mortgage relief scheme, which falsely promised to reduce homeowners' mortgage payments and prevent foreclosures. A federal court banned the companies and their operators from telemarketing and debt relief businesses and required them to pay millions. The refunds are being mailed to 1,821 affected homeowners.
$3.0M
The New Jersey Bureau of Securities filed a lawsuit against Xiao Hu (aka Mark Hu) and his companies Skyline Technology USA LLC and Thunderbirds.ME, Inc. for allegedly defrauding at least 15 investors out of $2.5 million through unregistered securities offerings. Hu allegedly misappropriated at least $280,000 for personal expenses including a home purchase and vacation, and falsely claimed to have a Ph.D. from Columbia University.
The Federal Trade Commission is seeking public comment on a petition from X Corp., formerly known as Twitter, to set aside or modify its 2022 settlement order with the agency. The petition argues that the order no longer serves a valid regulatory purpose and that X Corp. has built a world-class privacy program. The Commission will vote after the comment period closes.
The FTC filed a complaint against National Amendment Assistance and related entities for allegedly deceiving homeowners into paying unlawful upfront fees for mortgage relief services falsely associated with the CARES Act. The court granted a temporary restraining order, and the FTC seeks redress for affected consumers.
The FTC sued Amare Global Holdings Inc. and its principals for falsely claiming that dietary supplements like Kids Happy Juice and Kids Mood+ could treat or cure depression, anxiety, and ADHD in children and adults. The FTC also alleged the company misled recruits about their potential earnings as 'brand partners' in its multilevel marketing scheme.
A bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general began trial against Meta Platforms, Inc., alleging the company knowingly designed addictive features on Facebook and Instagram that harm children and teens, deceived parents about platform safety, and illegally collected personal information from children under 13 without parental consent in violation of COPPA. The states seek monetary penalties, an injunction to stop unlawful practices, and other relief. The trial is being litigated in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
New Jersey and New York Attorneys General announced an investigation into FIFA's ticketing practices for the 2026 World Cup. The investigation focuses on reports that fans were misled about seat locations, faced soaring prices due to variable pricing, and did not receive the tickets they paid for. Subpoenas have been sent to FIFA seeking information about its ticketing practices for matches hosted in New Jersey.
The Colorado Attorney General announced a major enforcement sweep targeting thousands of fraudulently filed businesses that used false information in Colorado registrations to facilitate scams including cryptocurrency fraud, investment fraud, and romance scams. The lawsuits seek court orders to dissolve these entities and the AG's office worked to take down associated websites.
The FTC alleged that Cox Media Group (CMG), MindSift LLC, and 1010 Digital Works LLC deceived customers by falsely claiming to offer an AI-powered 'Active Listening' service that could target ads based on conversations captured from consumers' smart devices, and that consumers had opted into such targeting. In reality, the service did not use voice data and consumers had not consented. The companies agreed to pay a total of $930,000 and are prohibited from making misrepresentations about their services, voice data collection, and consumer consent.
$930K
The New Jersey Attorney General and Division of Consumer Affairs issued guidance warning hotels and short-term rental providers against charging hidden junk fees to consumers ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The guidance reminds businesses that New Jersey's consumer protection laws and the FTC's Unfair or Deceptive Fees Rule require transparent pricing and prohibit deceptive fee practices. No monetary penalties were imposed, but businesses are put on notice that violations may lead to enforcement actions.
The Colorado Attorney General shut down Smokin' Genie, a Fort Collins smoke shop owned by AIH Enterprises, LLC, and banned its owner from the industry for five years after the shop illegally sold kratom to a minor and failed to properly label kratom products. The settlement requires the store to cease operations, destroy inventory, and pay $200,000 if they violate the terms.
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.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an investigation into Meta's Meta AI Glasses over allegations of unlawful facial biometric data collection, deceptive privacy practices, and unauthorized sharing of user data with subcontractors. The investigation follows concerns that the glasses' always-on recording mode lacks proper user notice, planned facial recognition features would collect data without consent, and private user videos are accessed by third-party annotators in Kenya. The AG issued a Civil Investigative Demand to Meta to determine violations of Texas privacy laws.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an investigation into Meta regarding its Meta AI Glasses, alleging unlawful collection of facial biometric data, deceptive privacy representations, and unauthorized sharing of user data with subcontractors. The investigation follows concerns that the glasses’ always-on recording mode lacks proper notice, subcontractors access private user content including intimate moments, and Meta plans to deploy facial recognition technology to collect unsuspecting individuals’ facial geometry. The AG issued a Civil Investigative Demand to determine if Meta violated Texas law by deceptively misrepresenting its data use practices.
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.
Shutterstock Inc. agreed to pay $35 million to settle FTC allegations that it charged consumers without their informed consent, failed to disclose auto-renewal and cancellation terms, and made cancellation difficult. The FTC alleged Shutterstock's subscription and on-demand pack offerings violated consumer protection laws through hidden fees and complicated cancellation processes.
$35.0M
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, along with multiple district attorneys and the California Privacy Protection Agency, announced a $12.75 million settlement with General Motors for illegally selling hundreds of thousands of Californians' location and driving data to data brokers Verisk and LexisNexis without notice or consent. The settlement includes the largest CCPA penalty to date, a five-year ban on selling driving data to consumer reporting agencies, and requirements to delete retained data and implement a robust privacy program.
$12.8M
Connecticut’s legislature passed House Bill 5312, creating new civil enforcement mechanisms for deepfake digital sexual assault, including unauthorized dissemination of synthetically created intimate images and AI-generated child pornography. The bill establishes a private right of action for victims and empowers the Connecticut Attorney General to pursue civil injunctions and penalties against abusers and platforms hosting illegal content. This builds on prior Connecticut laws criminalizing unauthorized intimate image dissemination.
The FTC settled charges with data broker Kochava, Inc. and its subsidiary Collective Data Solutions (CDS) over allegations that they sold precise location data from hundreds of millions of mobile devices without consumer consent, enabling tracking of visits to sensitive locations like reproductive health clinics and places of worship. The settlement prohibits the companies from selling or sharing sensitive location data without affirmative express consumer consent, and imposes compliance requirements including a sensitive location data program, supplier consent assessments, incident reporting, and data retention schedules. No monetary penalty was imposed.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong issued a statement on May 1, 2026, announcing the final passage of bipartisan legislation targeting youth social media addiction and artificial intelligence harms. The legislation imposes new obligations on social media companies regarding minor account settings, parental consent, and reporting, as well as requirements for AI chatbot operators and employers using automated decision tools. The statement also references ongoing enforcement actions against Meta and TikTok for allegedly designing addictive platform features for youth.
The FTC filed a complaint and obtained a temporary restraining order against six defendants operating a deceptive health care scheme that impersonated government and insurance carriers to sell fake comprehensive health plans. The defendants allegedly charged consumers without express informed consent, failed to disclose material terms including cancellation processes, and misled consumers into paying for inadequate coverage that left many with substantial medical debt. The FTC seeks refunds for affected consumers and alleges violations of the FTC Act, Telemarketing Sales Rule, Impersonation Rule, and Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.
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.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier opened a civil investigation into Discord and issued a subpoena demanding documents related to its marketing to children, age-verification processes, content moderation, parental controls, and reporting of child exploitative activity. The investigation alleges potential violations of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, citing the platform’s widespread use by child predators to target minors. Discord must produce records on its child safety practices, minor user data, and complaint handling related to child exploitation.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, co-leading a bipartisan coalition of 21 attorneys general and charitable regulators, sent a letter to GoFundMe demanding the platform remove all plagiarized donation web pages for over 1.4 million charities, disclose information about donations, and ensure pages do not outrank official charity sites in search results. The action follows reports that GoFundMe used charities' information without consent and engaged in deceptive solicitations, violating state charitable solicitation and consumer protection laws.
The California Privacy Protection Agency settled with PlayOn Sports for $1.10 million over CCPA violations, including failing to provide adequate opt-out mechanisms and improperly tracking users, particularly students. The company must implement proper opt-out methods, improve disclosures, and comply with children's data consent requirements.
$1.1M
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton reached an agreement with Samsung Electronics America, Inc. to stop collecting Automated Content Recognition (ACR) data from smart TVs without consumers' express consent. Samsung must update its smart TVs to provide clear and conspicuous disclosures and obtain consent before any data collection, ensuring Texans are informed and in control of their viewing data.
The FTC issued a policy statement announcing it will not enforce COPPA against operators that collect age verification data under specific conditions. The policy aims to encourage the use of age verification technologies to protect children online. Operators must limit data use, ensure security, provide notice, and use accurate verification methods.
CalPrivacy sponsored AB 2021, the Whistleblower Protection and Privacy Act, introduced by Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo. The bill establishes whistleblower protections under the CCPA, including an award program and anti-retaliation provisions, to encourage insiders to report privacy violations.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against PDD Holdings, Inc. and WhaleCo Inc., doing business as Temu, for deceptive marketing and unlawful covert harvesting of Texans’ personal data that was exposed to the Chinese Communist Party. The suit alleges Temu functions as a 'trojan horse' e-commerce app that bypasses security protocols to create a backdoor into users’ private data, which is stored on servers in China. The lawsuit seeks monetary relief under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, including up to $10,000 per violation and up to $250,000 per violation targeting consumers aged 65 or older.
A bipartisan coalition of 35 state attorneys general led by New York Attorney General Letitia James sent a demand letter to xAI on January 26, 2026, requiring the company to address its Grok chatbot’s creation and sharing of nonconsensual intimate images, including child sexual abuse material. The AGs demand that xAI implement safeguards to prevent Grok from generating such content, delete existing harmful content, suspend offending users, and give X users control over whether their content can be edited by Grok. No monetary penalty has been imposed as this is a pre-enforcement demand for action.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced an investigation into xAI for its Grok AI model generating nonconsensual sexual images of women and children, including child sexual abuse material. The AG expressed deep concern and zero tolerance, urging immediate action to prevent further
Privacy enforcement action where the FTC settled with General Motors and OnStar for collecting and selling consumers' geolocation and driving behavior data without adequate notice or consent. The order prohibits sharing data with consumer reporting agencies and requires transparency and consumer choice measures.
The FTC filed a motion in federal court seeking to hold payment processor Cliq, Inc. and its operators in contempt for systematically violating a 2015 consent order. The defendants are accused of processing payments for high-risk and prohibited merchants, failing to screen for deceptive practices, and facilitating fraud avoidance tactics. The FTC is requesting at least $52.9 million in consumer relief, a permanent ban on the individuals from payment processing, and appointment of a receiver.
$52.9M
Consumer fraud case where the FTC sued JustAnswer LLC for deceiving consumers into enrolling in a costly recurring monthly subscription by falsely claiming low one-time fees. The company did not obtain affirmative consent or clearly disclose subscription terms, violating ROSCA and the FTC Act. The FTC seeks an injunction, consumer refunds, and civil penalties.
The FTC settled with Disney for violating the COPPA Rule by mislabeling videos on YouTube, which allowed the collection of children's personal data without parental consent. Disney must pay a $10 million civil penalty and implement measures to ensure proper video labeling and compliance with COPPA.
$10.0M
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense, and TCL Technology Group for using Automated Content Recognition (ACR) technology to collect Texans' viewing data without proper consent. A temporary restraining order was secured against Hisense to halt all data collection and sharing. The AG issued a consumer alert with instructions to disable ACR on smart TVs.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton obtained a temporary restraining order against Hisense, a Chinese smart TV manufacturer, to halt its collection of Texans' personal data through Automated Content Recognition technology without consent. The technology captures every sound and image on the TVs every 500 milliseconds and sells the data, with access granted to the Chinese Communist Party. The TRO prohibits Hisense from collecting, using, selling, sharing, disclosing, or transferring ACR data about Texans while the case continues.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against five major TV manufacturers—Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense, and TCL—for illegally collecting consumers' viewing data through Automated Content Recognition (ACR) technology without knowledge or consent. The companies capture screenshots and monitor TV usage in real-time, then sell the data for targeted advertising, risking sensitive information. The suit seeks to halt these invasive practices and protect Texans' privacy.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin announced that New Jersey is joining a coalition of 22 states in suing Uber for deceptive practices related to its Uber One subscription service. The lawsuit alleges that Uber enrolled consumers without their knowledge and made cancellation extremely difficult, seeking restitution, penalties, and an injunction under New Jersey's Consumer Fraud Act and the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed lawsuits against five major TV manufacturers—Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense, and TCL—for unlawfully collecting Texans' viewing data using Automated Content Recognition (ACR) technology without their knowledge or consent. The ACR software captures screenshots of TV displays every 500 milliseconds and transmits the data to the companies, which then sell it for targeted advertising. The AG's office alleges these practices violate Texas privacy laws and seeks to enjoin the companies from continuing the surveillance.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, along with the FTC and 21 other states and counties, filed a lawsuit against Uber Technologies, LLC and Uber USA, LLC for deceptive practices related to their Uber One subscription service. The lawsuit alleges Uber used negative option marketing, misled consumers about savings, made cancellation difficult, and charged consumers prematurely. The action seeks restitution, penalties, and an injunction under the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act and the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Phase 2 of Operation Robocall Roundup, a multistate investigation targeting four major voice service providers—Inteliquent, Bandwidth, Peerless, and Lumen—for routing suspected illegal robocalls. The Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force sent warning letters demanding they stop transmitting such calls, following Phase 1 which already led to some providers being removed from the FCC's database. The AG emphasized that these companies have a heightened responsibility to block call traffic from known bad actors.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a $1.375 billion settlement with Google for unlawfully tracking Texans' geolocation data, incognito browsing activity, and biometric identifiers without consent. This is the largest single-state privacy settlement against Google, significantly larger than multistate settlements. The agreement resolves two major privacy enforcement actions brought by Texas.
$1.4B
California Attorney General Rob Bonta secured a $530,000 settlement with Sling TV LLC and Dish Media Sales LLC, resolving allegations that the streaming service violated the CCPA by failing to provide an easy-to-use opt-out mechanism for the sale of personal information and insufficient privacy protections for children. The settlement, subject to court approval, requires Sling TV to implement streamlined opt-out processes across all devices, stop redirecting users to cookie preferences for CCPA opt-outs, and add kid-specific profiles with default opt-out of data sales and targeted advertising. This is the first enforcement action from the DOJ's 2024 investigative sweep of streaming services.
$530K
Connecticut Attorney General secured a $1 million multistate settlement with TFG Holding, Inc. for deceptive VIP membership program marketing and billing practices. The company must improve disclosures, obtain explicit consent, provide easy cancellation, and offer restitution to affected consumers.
$1.0M
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a civil enforcement action against Roku, Inc. for violating the Florida Digital Bill of Rights (FDBOR) and Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA). The complaint alleges Roku collected, sold, and enabled reidentification of children’s sensitive personal data, including viewing habits and voice recordings, without parental consent or meaningful notice to consumers. The state seeks civil penalties, injunctive relief, and requirements for Roku to implement transparent disclosures, lawful parental controls, and cease unauthorized processing of children’s data.
The FTC secured a $2.5 billion settlement with Amazon, including a $1 billion civil penalty and $1.5 billion in consumer refunds, for enrolling millions of consumers in Prime subscriptions without proper consent and designing a deliberately difficult cancellation process. The order requires Amazon to implement clear enrollment disclosures, an easy cancellation method, and cease the unlawful practices.
$1.0B
The FTC issued 6(b) orders to seven technology companies to investigate the safety and privacy practices of their AI chatbots, particularly regarding impacts on children and teens. The inquiry focuses on compliance with children's privacy laws, data handling, and disclosures, requiring companies to provide information on these aspects.
The FTC settled allegations against Apitor Technology for violating COPPA by allowing a third party to collect geolocation data from children without parental consent. Apitor must pay a $500,000 suspended fine, delete improperly collected data, and implement measures to comply with COPPA, including obtaining parental consent and notifying parents.
$500K
The FTC alleges that Disney violated COPPA by failing to properly label children-directed videos on YouTube as 'Made for Kids,' allowing the collection of personal data from children under 13 without parental consent. Disney will pay a $10 million civil penalty and must implement a program to ensure accurate video designations, potentially incorporating age assurance technologies.
$10.0M
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton opened an investigation into Meta and Character.AI via Civil Investigative Demands, alleging deceptive trade practices including misrepresenting AI chatbots as confidential mental health tools while harvesting user data for targeted advertising. The probe assesses potential violations of Texas consumer protection laws and the SCOPE Act, particularly regarding privacy misrepresentations, concealment of data usage, and harms to children. This builds on prior investigations into Character.AI for SCOPE Act compliance.
The FTC is returning over $672,000 to consumers who were deceived by Frank Romero, operator of Trend Deploy, for violating the Mail Order Rule. The court order required Romero to pay the FTC, and the FTC is now distributing refunds to 9,419 affected consumers.
$672K