Manatt’s Richard Lawson, a partner in the consumer protection group, spoke to Law360 about the Federal Trade Commission’s recent actions regarding online reviews.
The FTC announced in early May that it would increase enforcement of the Consumer Review Fairness Act, a 2016 law that protects consumers’ rights to leave online reviews on sites such as Yelp. The agency also said companies must steer clear of silencing consumers about goods, services and business conduct.
Lawson said that recent administrative complaints and settlements related to the act could be a sign that the FTC wants to increase its efforts to protect consumers who exercise free speech.
“When the FTC does simultaneous announcements of settlements like this, they are trying to send a loud message to spur companies into compliance,” he said.
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