Worldwide: Consumer Protection

A Pennsylvania moviegoer has filed a class action lawsuit against AMC Theatres, alleging the company engages in deceptive pricing practices by adding mandatory convenience fees late in the online ticket purchase process. The case highlights the growing tension between state-by-state compliance approaches and uniform pricing transparency standards, with potential implications for how companies handle fee disclosures across different jurisdictions.

Pennsylvania is poised to introduce significant changes to its telemarketing compliance requirements that will impact companies making marketing calls and their vendor partners. With states increasingly implementing their own consumer protection standards, businesses must evaluate their calling practices, consent procedures, and vendor oversight strategies. This episode examines what these regulatory developments mean for companies that cannot rely on uniform federal standards alone.

When Dreame Technology advertised hair styling products claiming to dry shoulder-length hair in two minutes while showing models with much longer hair, competitor Dyson challenged the messaging at the National Advertising Division. The case explores how visual imagery in advertising can communicate claims beyond express statements, and why disclaimers cannot cure fundamentally misleading messages conveyed through powerful visuals.

Two recent lawsuits claim supplement labels may mislead consumers by highlighting creatine content per serving on the front panel without clearly showing that a serving includes multiple gummies or tablets.

A Pennsylvania moviegoer has filed a class action lawsuit against AMC Theatres, alleging the company engages in deceptive pricing practices by adding mandatory convenience fees late in the online ticket purchase process. The case highlights the growing tension between state-by-state compliance approaches and uniform pricing transparency standards, with potential implications for how companies handle fee disclosures across different jurisdictions.

Pennsylvania is poised to introduce significant changes to its telemarketing compliance requirements that will impact companies making marketing calls and their vendor partners. With states increasingly implementing their own consumer protection standards, businesses must evaluate their calling practices, consent procedures, and vendor oversight strategies. This episode examines what these regulatory developments mean for companies that cannot rely on uniform federal standards alone.

Colorado's Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against a fintech company offering earned wage access products, claiming the service operates as an unlicensed high-cost lending program. The complaint alleges violations of state consumer credit laws and deceptive practices related to mandatory "tips" that function as finance charges. State regulators are seeking injunctive relief, restitution, and civil penalties.

A state senator in New York introduced a bill that, if adopted, would exercise New York’s right under Section 525 of the Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act of 1980 (“DIDMCA”) to opt-out of DIDMCA preemption. However, there is virtually no chance that this bill will be enacted this year.

Seven federal agencies have rescinded their 2022 guidance on Special Purpose Credit Programs under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, stating that creditors can no longer rely on prior interpretations that encouraged such programs. The agencies emphasized that SPCPs must now strictly comply with ECOA, Regulation B, and the Fair Housing Act, marking a significant shift in federal fair-lending policy. This action follows related withdrawals by HUD and the CFPB, signaling a broader federal retreat from guidance

The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts’ 2025 Dodd-Frank Report examines how the post-2008 financial regulatory landscape has performed under renewed stresses, such as bank failures and crypto-asset collapses.

The award recognizes distinguished attorneys and public-interest advocates whose careers have advanced consumer protection, challenged corporate misconduct, and improved public safety.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has announced it will stop publishing consumer complaint narratives and data visualizations in its public database, marking a significant shift in how the agency shares complaint information. The Bureau cites concerns about unverified allegations, potential for misleading information, and unnecessary reputational harm to companies as key reasons for this policy change.