Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an inDependent agency of the United States government established in 1914. Its primary purpose is to protect consumers and promote competition by preventing anticompetitive, deceptive, and unfair business practices.

The FTC enforces various federal antiTrust and consumer protection laws, ensuring that businesses operate fairly and that consumers are informed about their choices.

Examples of FTC actions include:

• AntiTrust Cases: The FTC has challenged Mergers and Acquisitions that could reduce competition, such as the 2016 blocked merger between Staples and Office Depot.
• Consumer Protection: In 2019, the FTC settled with Facebook over privacy violations, requiring the company to pay $5 billion and implement stricter privacy measures.