Over a spirited dissent, and in a 3–1 decision issued on November 14, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Commissioners held that 1-800 Contacts violated Section 5 of the FTC Action by entering into settlement agreements with competitors that (1) harmed consumers in the online sale of contact lenses and (2) harmed search engines by artificially … Continue Reading
With the holiday marketing season upon us, marketers launch the month-long, relentless scramble for consumer visibility and coveted advertising space on high-traffic inventory. One matter likely not on marketers’ radars? Antitrust violations. A recent ruling on a case brought by the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) against 1-800 Contacts scrutinizes the brand’s ad tech playbook through … Continue Reading
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently issued a well-reasoned decision that takes the rare step of overruling a jury finding of False Claims Act (FCA) liability, and erasing the damages award of more than $663 million, after trebling and inclusion of civil penalties. See United States ex rel. Harman v. Trinity … Continue Reading
