Some supported a Texas app store age-verification law, while others criticized its constitutionality and regulatory hurdles in amicus briefs filed last week at the U.S. District Court for Western Texas (case 1:25-cv-01660).
FTC Privacy Enforcement
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the primary enforcer of privacy laws in the U.S., using consent decrees, lawsuits and rulemaking to address unfair or deceptive data practices. The agency’s actions influence how companies design privacy programs, handle consumer data and respond to complaints. This page highlights major cases, policy updates, and enforcement patterns at the FTC that shape the U.S. privacy landscape.
President Donald Trump’s AI executive order late Thursday drew backlash from Democrats and Republicans -- as well as applause from tech industry groups and Capitol Hill advocates trying to avoid a patchwork of state AI regulations.
Following a data breach at a Michigan-based credit reporting company that impacted almost six million individuals across the country, the state's attorney general reminded consumers of the importance of protecting personal information.
Privacy professionals expected more states to enact comprehensive privacy laws this year, but none of the bills introduced this year crossed the finish line, they said Thursday on a TrustArc webinar. Instead, states passed narrowly tailored privacy legislation or amendments to existing laws. In addition, several court decisions and enforcement actions drilled deep into top privacy issues, the privacy pros said.
The House Commerce Subcommittee passed several kids-related bills Thursday, setting up votes from the full House Commerce Committee, as expected (see 2512090058).
President Donald Trump issued an executive order to combat a “patchwork” of AI laws in the states, as expected (see 2512110056 and 2512080056). Trump's order is identical to a draft proposal, circulated in November that drew significant bipartisan opposition.
There’s a lot of “basic” work companies can do to update front-facing websites and apps and avoid unnecessary attention from federal and state regulators in 2026, former FTC officials said Wednesday during a Red Clover Advisors webinar.
As lawsuits over tracking technologies increase rapidly, some courts have managed to narrow the scope of older statutes, countering the litigation wave, said panelists during an Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) webinar Wednesday. But other courts remain split on the reach of these laws, they added.
California Privacy Protection Agency (CalPrivacy) fines for Delete Act violations next fall could rise from tens of thousands of dollars to tens of millions of dollars -- at least -- with no room for negotiation on total penalties, panelists said on a webinar by consumer privacy vendor Reklaim on Wednesday. In addition, many more companies may be considered data brokers covered by the law than realize it now, they said.
The FTC will hold a Jan. 28 workshop on age-verification technology, the agency said Monday. It will touch on “regulatory contours” and how COPPA applies to the technology.