[{"source":"Faculté de droit Travaux récents","id":3260041,"description":"dc.contributor.author: Larochelle, Vincent dc.date.issued: 2026-10 dc.description.abstract: Ce mémoire analyse la politique linguistique canadienne à travers l’un de ses aspects fondamentaux, celui des langues officielles dans la fonction publique fédérale canadienne. En partant d’une mise en contexte historique couvrant la période allant de la Conquête anglaise à la Révolution tranquille, il rappelle d’abord le contexte social dans lequel évoluaient les Canadiens français et les Canadiens anglais, et auquel la politique linguistique canadienne était censée répondre. Pour évaluer l’efficacité de la politique linguistique canadienne, ce mémoire procède à une analyse inédite de la composition linguistique de la fonction publique canadienne au fil du temps. Cette analyse de données s’étalant sur plus de 50 ans révèle un double constat : si les fonctionnaires francophones sont désormais représentés à la hauteur du poids démographique qu’ils occupent dans la société canadienne, les postes français ont subi un effondrement de près de 70% entre 1973 et 2024, passant de 12,5% à seulement 3,2% de l’ensemble des postes, tandis que les postes anglais demeurent quasi-stables, ne perdant sur la même période que 3,1% de leurs effectifs. Dans une fonction publique censée être bilingue selon la Loi, il y a aujourd’hui 15 fois plus de postes anglais que de postes français. Il y a par ailleurs six fois moins de postes français dans la fonction publique fédérale canadienne que le poids réel des francophones au sein de la société canadienne. En outre, pour chaque poste anglais disponible pour un fonctionnaire anglophone, le fonctionnaire francophone a accès à 6 fois moins de postes français. Il en résulte que, comme jadis, l’anglais demeure la langue de travail nettement dominante de la fonction publique fédérale, tandis que le français continue d’être marginalisé, en contradiction avec certains des objectifs de la Loi sur les langues officielles.; This master’s thesis analyzes the Canadian language policy through one of its fundamental aspects, official languages within the Canadian federal public service. Starting with a historical overview spanning the period going from the English Conquest to the Quiet Revolution, it first recalls the social context in which French Canadians and English Canadians evolved, and to which the Canadian language policy was supposed to respond. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the Canadian language policy, this thesis carries out an original analysis of the linguistic composition of the federal public service over time. This over 50-year data analysis reveals a dual finding: while francophone public servants are now represented in proportion to their demographic weight in Canadian society, french positions have collapsed by nearly 70% between 1973 and 2024, falling from 12.5% to only 3.2% of all positions, whereas English positions have remained nearly stable, losing only 3.1% of their share over the same period. In a public service that is supposed to be bilingual under the Act, there are today 15 times more English positions than French positions. Moreover, there are six times fewer French positions in the Canadian public service than the actual demographic weight of Francophones in the Canadian society. Furthermore, for every Anglophone public servant who obtains a position in their language, a Francophone public servant has 6 times fewer chances of obtaining a position in their language. As a result, as in the past, English remains the clearly dominant working language of the federal public service, while french continues to be marginalized, in contradiction with some of","pubDate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 08:25:09 +0100","titre":"Le français dans la fonction publique fédérale","url":"https://hdl.handle.net/1866/46873"},{"pubDate":"Thu, 29 Oct 2026 07:58:22 +0100","url":"https://theconversation.com/france-three-overlapping-woes-are-fuelling-a-generation-of-discontent-295102","titre":"France: three overlapping woes are fuelling a generation of discontent","id":3248553,"description":"KEY TAKEAWAYS The French high schooler-led uprising is not a sign of a generational struggle pitting the young against baby boomers. The uprisings indicate a state of discontentment reflecting three grievances: failings within the education system, eco-anxiety and concerns over employment in the age of AI. Far from demanding a break with the established order, young protesters are simply asking for the right to live a good and fair life... like their predecessors before them. Rarely has Freud’s Civilization and Its Discontents seemed so relevant to the times in which we are living. Although the discontents we are currently witnessing do not necessarily affect society as a whole, they are certainly impacting an entire generation born in the 21st century, as well as their parents and their social environment. Admittedly, we know that generations are not homogeneous and that any attempt to generalise is an oversimplification. Nevertheless, the high schoolers that are taking to the streets to protest in this day and age belong to a relatively homogeneous age cohort. You would be forgiven for thinking that the current unrest is the result of a clash of generations. From the outside, it is often viewed as a generational tug of war between a struggling young population and the rest: an aging but relatively prosperous Europe . Criticism is, without doubt, being directed at “baby-boomers” or those born during the thirty years following World War II (which were marked by economic prosperity and low unemployment, conditions that now seem a world away today). The problem lies elsewhere Nevertheless, this is not a generational conflict, and the fact that a substantial proportion of parents , as well as the majority of the population , share the students’ demands shows that the problem lies elsewhere. These demands are nothing new, and they help explain why many parents joined their children during the first demonstrations, along with teachers, to show their support over deteriorating conditions in high schools. The students and their initial demands were hijacked by more politically radical movements, some even revolutionary or anarchist, as well as opportunistic groups that took advantage of the disorder to loot shops and businesses, without any tangible political agenda. According to an official report dated October 14, 2026, “937 law enforcement officers, 248 students and 149 members of educational staff have been injured since the beginning of the high school student movement.” The demonstrations on October 18 resulted in more than 1,800 arrests . The proliferation of various groups with overlapping demands muddles the student movements’ original message, leaving us with little more than the smouldering remnants of a battlefield. Nevertheless, it is the central concerns of these students that I wish to explore here. Ultimately, this movement appears to lie at the intersection of several anxiety-inducing issues. Rather than speaking of a convergence of struggles, we should speak of a convergence of anxieties. Three sources of anxiety The movement appears to reflect the convergence of three factors that are also sources of concern: the perceived deterioration of public education ecological anxiety the new difficulties young people face in the labour market, particularly those associated with the development of artificial intelligence (AI). These three factors provide fertile ground for psychosocial anxiety. The high school students’ main demands appear legitimate and concern improving working conditions: replacing absent teachers, shortening excessively long school days, reducing the number of students per class, repairing and maintaining infrastructure, and improving or abolishing Parcoursup , the widely criticised higher education admissions platform that is often difficult to understand. These demands echo the broader perception that conditions in the French school system have deteriorated and that the system is relatively inefficient compared with those of neighbouring countries.","source":"The Conversation – Articles (FR)"},{"pubDate":"Mon, 26 Oct 2026 07:55:47 +0100","url":"https://www.callacbd.ca/CALL-Blog/12242053","titre":"Canadian Association of Law Libraries Intervention in Upcoming Supreme Court of Canada Copyright Case","source":"Canadian Association of Law Libraries / L'Association canadienne des bibliothèques de droit CALL/ACBD Blog","id":3241460,"description":"By: Susannah Tredwell , Manager of Library Services at DLA Piper (Canada) LLP and James Bachmann , Instructional Librarian, Law Library, University of British Columbia Since 1988, when CALL/ACBD’s Copyright Committee was first set up, CALL/ACBD has advocated for its members' interests in the area of copyright. While the primary focus of CALL/ACBD’s copyright advocacy over the last few years has been on Crown copyright and primary law, CALL/ACBD has also made submissions about such areas as fair dealing and licencing. CALL/ACBD sees this work as not only supporting the needs of its members but also as serving the interests of access to justice as a whole. Continuing this work, on January 18, 2022 CALL/ACBD, along with Library Futures Institute, will act as an intervener in the Supreme Court of Canada case Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada, et al. v. Entertainment Software Association, et al.   Kim Nayyer, CALL/ACBD’s President, and Robert Janes of JFK Law   will be representing CALL/ACBD and Library Futures. This case addresses the question of how the concepts of “communication to the public by telecommunication” and “making available on demand” as used in the Copyright Act should be understood. The outcome of this case has the potential to significantly impact various library activities, including controlled digital lending and possibly even the simple use of hyperlinks, particularly in light of the limited scope of current library and education exceptions in the Copyright Act . CALL/ACBD's submitted that the court refrain from broadly construing the terms “making available” and “Communication to the Public by Telecommunication” and that s. 2.4(1.1) of the act (\"Communication to the public by telecommunication\")   does not need to be understood as creating a new right.   You can find CALL/ACBD’s intervener's factum at https://www.scc-csc.ca/WebDocuments-DocumentsWeb/39418/FM050_Intervener_Canadian-Association-Law-Libraries-et-al.pdf . The other factums in this case are available at https://www.scc-csc.ca/case-dossier/info/af-ma-eng.aspx?cas=39418 .  CALL/ACBD has acted as an intervener at the Supreme Court of Canada on two other occasions. In Keatley Surveying Ltd. v. Teranet Inc. , which looked at Crown copyright, CALL/ACBD submitted   that “s. 12 Crown copyright does not extend to primary sources of law”. In York University v. Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency  (\"Access Copyright\"), CALL/ACBD submitted   that the SCC “should resist the temptation to modify or clarify the existing fair dealing test” stating that the existing test “is a flexible multifactorial test that allows libraries (and other institutions) to tailor access and appropriate copying policies that consider all relevant circumstances.” CALL/ACBD also made submissions to the 2018 review of the Copyright Act , R.S.C. 1985, c. C-42: one general submission   and <a"},{"id":3238635,"description":"dc.contributor.author: Allard, Marianne dc.date.issued: 2026-10 dc.description.abstract: Les coraux, étant des animaux filtreurs, sont indispensables aux écosystèmes marins, créant des points chauds de biodiversité. Les pressions humaines grandissantes sur les coraux menacent leur survie et crée un changement de dominance des coraux durs aux coraux mous. Cette étude révèle la présence de vibrations chez plusieurs espèces de coraux mous à partir de données récoltées en laboratoire et en plongée. Les paramètres principaux influençant la fréquence de vibration sont le diamètre des branches, la vitesse d’écoulement et la présence des polypes (structures servant à capturer la nourriture). La dynamique d’interaction entre les coraux et leur environnement changeant se verra modifiée dans les prochaines années en raison de l’augmentation de l’intensité des tempêtes liée aux changements climatiques, risquant d’impacter leur capacité d’alimentation. Les déversements pétroliers représentent également une menace importante pour les coraux. Leur toxicité a été démontrée dans des études précédentes, sans toutefois qu’une ingestion directe n’ait été observée. Dans cette étude, deux espèces de coraux mous et trois espèces de coraux durs ont été exposés à trois types d’huile différents (canola, poisson et moteur) pour évaluer leur réaction et leur interaction avec les gouttelettes d’huile. L’ingestion des trois huiles a été confirmée chez les coraux mous, et l’ingestion accidentelle de l’huile de canola a été constatée chez une espèce de corail dur. Les deux autres espèces de coraux durs ont montré un gonflement des polypes lors de l’exposition aux trois types d’huile. Les coraux mous sont donc potentiellement plus vulnérables aux déversements de pétrole, alors que les coraux durs pourraient servir d’indicateurs d’exposition. Cette étude est significative car elle est la première à se pencher sur ces deux aspects des menaces anthropiques sur les récifs coralliens.; Corals are filter-feeding animals that play a vital role in marine ecosystems, creating biodiversity hotspots. Growing human pressures on corals are threatening their survival and creating a shift from hard to soft coral dominated reefs. This study revealed the presence of vibrations in several soft coral species, from diving and laboratory data. The main parameters influencing vibration frequency are branch diameter, water flow velocity, and the presence of polyps (structures that capture food particles). The fluid-structure interaction between the coral and its environment is expected to change in coming years due to stronger storms from climate change, potentially affecting their feeding capacity. Oil spills also pose a major threat to corals. While toxicity has been demonstrated in past studies, direct ingestion had not been observed. In this study, experiments were made exposing two soft coral species and three hard coral species to three oil types (canola, fish, and motor) to test their reaction and interaction with oil droplets. All three oils were ingested by soft corals, while only canola oil was accidentally ingested by one hard coral species. The other two hard coral species showed polyp swelling after exposure to all three oils. Soft corals may thus be more vulnerable to oil spills, while hard corals could serve as exposure indicators. This study is significant as it is the first to examine these two aspects of human threats on coral reefs. dc.type: Thèse ou mémoire /","source":"Faculté de droit Travaux récents","pubDate":"Sat, 24 Oct 2026 08:07:41 +0200","url":"https://hdl.handle.net/1866/46820","titre":"Aspects novateurs de la mécanique des fluides appliquée à la biologie des coraux"},{"pubDate":"Wed, 21 Oct 2026 14:33:39 +0200","titre":"The Old Québec (Vieux-Québec) historic district: Heritage, tourism and real-estate developers since the post-war years","url":"https://www.cahiers-espi2r.fr/2305","source":"ESPI2R","id":3232003,"description":"Introduction There are several ways of conceiving heritage conservation. For the purpose of this paper, we need to start from the premise that what we call “heritage” is a dynamic, evolving reality, and that a historic district such as “Old Québec” can undergo structuring transformations rooted in a process of heritage conservation. In Old Québec, the process of conservation —also referred to “patrimonialization”—has not received the attention it deserves. This paper aims to shed light on the process of functional requalification has undergone by Old Québec since the 1950s, within the broader context of its transformation into a historic district. It is based on discourse analysis (Berthold, 2013), supported by a diversifie body of documentation, including primary sources, such as archival documents, press reviews, geospatial and land-use data, and official reports. It is complemented by a body of scholarly literature devoted to Old Québec since the 1970s. First, we explain the sociohistorical process that led to the creation of Old Québec, starting in the 1950s. Then, we highlight the role played by tourism and the real-estate economy —includingdevelopers—in this process. Turning the Champlain District into a historic district At the turn of the 1950s, the area now known as “Old Québec” was referred to as the Champlain District. Named after the city’s main colonial founder, Champlain was one of the first areas to be settled, beginning in the early 17th century. It covers"},{"pubDate":"Thu, 15 Oct 2026 08:26:22 +0200","titre":"The (Currently) Uneven Intelligence of AI in Comparative Constitutional Law","url":"https://verfassungsblog.de/the-currently-uneven-intelligence-of-ai-in-comparative-constitutional-law/","source":"Scoop.it - Documentation juridique (Stéphan Cottin)","id":3218421,"description":"This article belongs to the debate » Thinking Machines, Thinking Lawyers14 October 2026The (Currently) Uneven Intelligence of AI in Comparative Constitutional Law From Years of Research to a Single Prompt? Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to accelerate and improve the quality of research. This potential has inspired numerous projects exploring how AI could help scholarship on constitutional law. For example, there is research using AI to interpret constitutions,1) apply constitutional principles,2) and predict court rulings.3) Even the question of whether AI could improve the process of constitution-making has been studied.4) AI’s potential is particularly significant for comparative constitutional research. Systematically comparing legal systems requires locating sources from different jurisdictions, which are often difficult to access and only available in local languages. The creation of comparative legal datasets has thus involved considerable personnel, time, and financial resources. AI can overcome many of these obstacles. AI models can search for and translate foreign-language sources, filter them, and convert the filtered information into a dataset. In doing so, AI offers the prospect of datasets — which previously required years of research and the efforts of numerous experts and research assistants to compile — being just a prompt away. However, whether AI models can generate comparative law datasets that are qualitatively comparable to human-coded datasets has not yet been addressed (although Guha et al provide an example for a broader legal benchmarking exercise).5) We therefore conducted our own benchmarking study.6) We found evidence suggesting that recent AI models may be able to code simple factual data, but they are likely unreliable substitutes for expert human coders when conceptual or interpretive judgment is required. The Benchmarking Project: Seven Coding Tasks, Four Datasets, Two LLMs In our project, we tested the ability of two large language models (LLMs) to code different types of information relevant to comparative constitutional law. We specifically assessed whether LLMs can reproduce information from four existing comparative constitutional law datasets, all of which were compiled through human coding and which served as a ‘ground truth’ for our exercise. From these datasets, we asked the LLMs to code seven variables, which can be thought of as seven tasks relevant to the creation of comparative constitutional law datasets. Each of these tasks is either a test of fact-finding or reasoning abilities. First, from the Executive Term Limit Evasion Dataset,7) we drew information on whether presidents in 106 presidential systems have evaded constitutionally mandated term limits between 2000 and 2019. The dataset includes one variable on whether presidents attempt to overstay past the end of their term. The second variable captures what strategies executives use for doing so, such as amending the constitution, replacing it with a new one, or asking the court to interpret term limits out of the constitution. While determining whether a president overstayed is a fact-finding task, assessing the strategy used to do so requires reasoning. Second, from the Comparative Constitution Making Dataset,8) we drew information on the process by which constitutions were adopted in democracies between 1900 and 2015. This dataset also includes fact-finding variables such as (1) whether citizens were involved in the formulation, discussion, or submission of reform proposals, and (2) whether citizens participated in popular referendums at any stage in the process. The dataset’s most important variable (3) captures whether constitutions reflect ‘plural elite agreement,’ that is, whether all relevant elite factions in society were involved and represented during the process. The recreation of this variable requires reasoning. Third, from the Characteristics of National Constitutions Dataset9), we drew on its coding of 43 first-generation constitutional"},{"source":"FTC USA Business Blog Posts","description":"FTC consumer protection year in review offers 2020 vision for your business lfair January 8, 2020 | 9:26AM FTC consumer protection year in review offers 2020 vision for your business By Lesley Fair They say hindsight is 20/20, but what about foresight? We’re not ones to prognosticate, but a look at notable FTC cases and initiatives from the past year suggests some topics likely to be top of mind in months to come. Here is a non-exhaustive list of issues in our 2019 rearview mirror and likely visible through the 2020 windshield. Consumer privacy. The FTC’s $5 billion enforcement action against Facebook made history and headlines, but the other notable part of the case is the monumental change the order mandates to Facebook’s privacy ecosystem. The Commission opinion in Cambridge Analytica reaffirms the proposition that like any other claim, a company’s privacy promises are viewed through the lens of established FTC consumer perception principles. A series of cases demonstrates the agency’s continued commitment to challenging false or misleading representations about businesses’ compliance with the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework. Another important development is the FTC’s proposed settlement with Retina-X . It’s our first action against a marketer of stalking apps – software that allowed purchasers to monitor the mobile devices on which they’re installed, without users’ knowledge. COPPA. Congress passed the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act to ensure that when it comes to the collection of kids’ personal information online, parents are in the driver’s seat. The FTC settlement with YouTube – brought in conjunction with the New York Attorney General – alleges that the company collected kids’ personal data without parental consent, in violation of the COPPA Rule . The $170 million civil penalty broke the record for the largest remedy in an FTC COPPA case, set months before in our $5.7 million settlement with Musical.ly , now known as TikTok. If you’re a YouTube channel owner, read a special Business Blog post for tips on determining if your content is directed to children. Data security. Is your company honoring its data security promises and taking reasonable steps to safeguard the sensitive information in its possession? The FTC, CFPB, and State AG actions against Equifax illustrate how consumers are injured when companies ignore reasonably foreseeable threats. The settlement, which totals between $575 million and $700 million – also reminds businesses that heeding warnings about known risks is more prudent (and cost-effective) than the alternative. Three threads tie together the FTC’s unrelated actions against LightYear Dealer Technologies and InfoTrax Systems . They both sell management software to specific industries. They both allegedly failed to take reasonable steps to secure their networks, resulting in damaging data breaches. And they’re both covered by similar new orders the FTC has introduced in recent data security cases. If you or your clients are players in the Internet of Things, the settlement of the FTC’s litigation against connected device company D-Link sends an unmistakable message: The future of the IoT marketplace depends on secure software development. Endorsements, certifications, and influencers. Why is the FTC concerned about the accuracy of endorsements and certifications? Because they’re material to consumers. The FTC says Truly Organics’ claim that its personal care products were “certified organic” lathered up a double bubble of deception. First, its merchandise contained ingredients that weren’t organic. Second, the company falsely claimed that its products were certified by USDA’s National Organic Program. Other FTC developments focused on the use of endorsements in social media. The FTC’s action against Devumi alleges the company sold fake followers, phony subscribers, and bogus","id":3203247,"url":"https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2020/01/ftc-consumer-protection-year-review-offers-2020-vision-your-business","titre":"FTC consumer protection year in review offers 2020 vision for your business","pubDate":"Thu, 08 Oct 2026 08:06:58 +0200"},{"pubDate":"Wed, 07 Oct 2026 14:05:07 +0200","url":"https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2018/09/root-root-root-regions","titre":"Root, root root for the regions","source":"FTC USA Business Blog Posts","id":3201877,"description":"Root, root root for the regions lfair September 24, 2018 | 2:03PM Root, root root for the regions By Andrew Smith, Director, FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection T his year eight major league baseball teams are celebrating milestone anniversaries – and so are the FTC’s regional offices. In 1918, the Commission opened the first three of its regional offices. Today, eight regional offices continue to knock it out the park on behalf of America’s consumers. So it’s only fitting that on this momentous day we acknowledge the regional offices’ century of pennant-winning performances. According to the Commission’s 1918 Annual Report, “In order to expedite the greatly increased work of the Commission . . . small branch offices were established in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco.” Over time, the FTC has added other locations for a current total of eight offices in seven regions. Regional staff work with the Bureau of Consumer Protection and the Bureau of Competition on investigations and litigation. But they are in a unique position to host roundtables and workshops in their communities; to coordinate with local, state, and cross-border law enforcers; and to build partnerships with consumer groups and small business organizations within their region. According to the scouting report, there isn’t a pitch they can’t hit. Here’s a brief look at each region’s box score with a focus on just a few of their many MVP contributions to the FTC’s consumer protection mission. East Central Region . In 1918, the Cleveland Indians finished just out of pennant contention, but the FTC’s Cleveland-based office works hard to bring home the W for consumers and small businesses. For example, ECR has brought a number of cases over the past two decades to protect small businesses in their area and around the country, including cramming, business directory, and unordered merchandise scams. Recently, ECR played a central role in Operation Main Street, the FTC’s recent initiative against scammers targeting small businesses. Midwest Region . Chicago fans may be divided in their loyalty to the Cubs and the White Sox, but consumers who lost money to scammers who used the services of a major money transfer company are united in their appreciation for the FTC-DOJ settlement that returned $586 million back to them. And just recently, MWR hosted the Commission’s workshop on cryptocurrency scams and took a lead role in Operation Tech Trap, a coordinated state, federal, and international effort to shut down tech support fraudsters. Northeast Region . Given New York’s connection to names like Huggins, Houk, Stengel, Berra, and Torre, it’s no wonder the FTC’s Northeast Region has particular expertise in coaching. But in NER’s case, it’s about companies that make deceptive “coaching” and money-making representations. The New York-based office also has been one of the FTC’s power hitters in addressing misleading practices in the affiliate marketing industry. And from their Big Apple location, NER has been a leader in educating consumers, particularly older Americans and small businesses. Northwest Region . Like their hometown Seattle Mariners, the FTC’s Northwest Region has a proven record of navigating the complexities on the field of play. NWR coordinated Operation Donate with Honor, a nationwide crackdown on fraudulent charities alleged to have conned consumers by falsely promising their contributions will help veterans and servicemembers. In addition, our team in Seattle regularly coordinates with Canadian counterparts to combat cross-border fraud. And they’ve been ahead of the curve on tech issues, bringing one of the FTC’s first internet cases in the 90s and more recently, an early online influencer action. Southeast Region . The Atlanta Braves boast a national fan base – and due to their expertise in fighting fraud, the FTC’s Southeast Region can be proud of its coast-to-coast impact,"},{"source":"FTC USA Business Blog Posts","id":3199079,"description":"Franchise Fundamentals: Taking a deep dive into the Franchise Disclosure Document lfair May 23, 2023 | 6:41PM Franchise Fundamentals: Taking a deep dive into the Franchise Disclosure Document By Lesley Fair Love at first sight may (or may not) be a real thing, but when it comes to investing your money, it’s unwise to fall for a franchise without first subjecting it to tough-minded scrutiny. The third in the FTC’s Franchise Fundamentals blog series walks through an essential part of that evaluation: an in-depth review of the Financial Disclosure Document (FDD) required by the FTC’s Franchise Rule . You must receive the Franchise Disclosure Document at least 14 days before you’re asked to sign any contract or pay any money to the franchisor or one of its affiliates. In fact, you have the right to the FDD once the franchisor has received your application and agrees to consider it. So speak up if you don’t receive it and ask questions – lots of them – as you review the FDD and any attached documents.   Image Indeed, the franchisor’s conduct regarding the FDD may raise some red flags about how they do business. Providing the FDD doesn’t establish that a franchisor is reputable – it’s required by law, after all – but if a franchisor doesn’t promptly provide this mandatory document, gives you an incomplete FDD, evades your probing questions, or tries to rush you through the process, it doesn’t speak well of their approach to legal compliance.  Assuming you have the FDD in hand, let’s consider some of the 23 required items line by line. Here are things to look for as you review the FDD. Franchisor’s Background (FDD Item 1) Item 1 provides background information about the franchisor and any parent companies, predecessors, and affiliates, including how long the franchise has been in business. It also lets you know if there are any legal requirements unique to the franchised business, like the need to get a special license or permit. This can help you understand the costs and risks you would be taking on. Business Background (FDD Item 2) Remember the old adage “People are known by the company they keep”? Well, companies are known by the people they keep, which is why Item 2 identifies directors, principal officers, and other key executives. Pay attention to their business backgrounds, their experience in managing a franchise system, and how long they’ve been with the franchisor. Litigation History (FDD Item 3) Item 3 lists information about prior litigation, including whether the franchisor or any of its executive officers have been convicted of certain crimes or have been found liable – or settled lawsuits – related to the franchise relationship. Lawsuits against the franchisor could mean it hasn’t honored its agreements or that franchisees are dissatisfied with its performance. Item 3 also says whether the franchisor has sued any of its franchisees in the past year. That information could suggest problems in the franchise system. For example, if a franchisor sued franchisees for failing to pay royalties, was it because franchisees weren’t successful and couldn’t make their royalty payments? Bankruptcy (FDD Item 4) Have the franchisor, its affiliates, or any of its executives filed for bankruptcy? Item 4 discloses that information and could give you insights into the financial condition of the business.  Initial and Other Fees (FDD Items 5-7) Items 5-7 go over some of the costs involved in starting and operating a franchise. That could include things like deposits or franchise fees (some of which may be non-refundable); what you’ll have to pay for initial inventory, signs, equipment, leases, or rentals; and ongoing costs, like royalties and advertising fees. A Consumer’s Guide to Buying a Franchise suggests more than a dozen other areas of financial inquiry, which should give you an indication about the importance of both getting in touch with your inner bean","pubDate":"Tue, 06 Oct 2026 08:06:24 +0200","url":"https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2023/05/franchise-fundamentals-taking-deep-dive-franchise-disclosure-document","titre":"Franchise Fundamentals: Taking a deep dive into the Franchise Disclosure Document"},{"source":"FTC USA Business Blog Posts","description":"FTC challenges Online Trading Academy’s money-making claims lfair February 12, 2020 | 4:35PM FTC challenges Online Trading Academy’s money-making claims By Lesley Fair Ads for health products often target Boomer Consumers, but those aren’t the only claims pitched to people looking toward retirement. An FTC action alleges a company called Online Trading Academy has taken in more than $370 million by gearing its deceptive representations to that demographic. In addition, the complaint alleges violations of the Consumer Review Fairness Act. According to the FTC, the California-based operation, related companies, and three individual defendants advertise a “patented strategy” that consumers can apply “to any asset class including stocks, options, futures and currencies” to rake in big money. They claim their “training programs” – with price tags as high as $50,000 – will teach consumers how to “invest like the pros on Wall Street.” ”No matter your experience and goals,” people were told the defendants’ “proven” strategy was “designed to make money in any market, whether it’s going up or down.” The complaint recounts the process the defendants use to attract consumers through TV and radio ads, online promotions, and direct mail. First comes an in-person “preview” seminar. Next, people pay $299 for a three-day “orientation.” That’s where the defendants urge attendees to sign up for seminars costing thousands more. The defendants assign each attendee an “Education Counselor” – a/k/a salesperson working on commission – who follows up by phone or email. According to the complaint, the defendants train their Education Counselors not to “look like, act like or sound like, a traditional salesperson,” but instead to take on a “role” and lead consumers through “The Pain Funnel,” Q&A designed to overcome consumer qualms. To get people to sign up for more seminars, the defendants routinely offer to finance all or part of the cost with loans at 18%, with the promise to forgive the interest if the consumer pays the total off within six months. The FTC says that in some instances, the defendants lead buyers to believe they’ll be able to repay the loan quickly with money they’ll make using that “patented strategy.” So how much does Online Trading Academy say consumers will earn? A central theme of their pitch is “You don’t have to work on Wall Street to make money like Wall Street.” Infomercials feature purchasers claiming that “in three hours I made $12,000” or “I made $32,000 in less than seven trading days.” In a YouTube video, a retiree says he made “$40,000 in a single trade.” In addition, a speaker at a live event claimed consumers “could potentially make $50,000 of annual income with an account size as low as $5,000” because Online Trading Academy has “a patent on the fact that you can time the markets,” which “gives us the ability to know when to get in and when to get out, long-term and short-term.” Other speakers – including some of the named defendants – paint a picture of lavish lifestyles filled with international travel, a “super luxury car” every year, and homes in areas where kids have “live-in nannies, cooks, gardeners.” One speaker said the money he made using Online Trading Academy’s strategy allows him to live in an enclave so exclusive that a neighbor, a renowned Olympic gold medalist, taught his daughter to swim. But the facts paint a different picture. The FTC alleges the defendants don’t systematically collect data sufficient to substantiate their earnings claims. But even the evidence they do have gave them good reason to know their representations are deceptive. For starters, according to the FTC, the defendants know that few consumers who","id":3197414,"titre":"FTC challenges Online Trading Academy’s money-making claims","url":"https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2020/02/ftc-challenges-online-trading-academys-money-making-claims","pubDate":"Mon, 05 Oct 2026 08:07:09 +0200"},{"url":"https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2020/09/green-lights-red-flags-ftc-rules-road-business-rocks-cleveland","titre":"Green Lights & Red Flags: FTC Rules of the Road for Business rocks on in Cleveland","pubDate":"Mon, 05 Oct 2026 08:07:08 +0200","source":"FTC USA Business Blog Posts","description":"Green Lights & Red Flags: FTC Rules of the Road for Business rocks on in Cleveland sgressin September 21, 2020 | 12:03PM Green Lights & Red Flags: FTC Rules of the Road for Business rocks on in Cleveland By Seena Gressin Natives and fans heartily agree that “Cleveland Rocks!” That’s why the Federal Trade Commission and its Ohio partners are ready to roll with the next installment of Green Lights & Red Flags: FTC Rules of the Road for Business , set to make its online debut on October 29, 2020, from Cleveland. The free business workshop focuses on current topics in truth-in-advertising law, social media marketing, data security, business-to-business fraud, and more. Who should attend the virtual event? Ohio business owners, marketing and advertising professionals, attorneys — anyone who needs to know how established consumer protection principles apply in today’s fast-paced marketplace.  The Office of the Ohio Attorney General, Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Cleveland, and the Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs are joining the FTC in sponsoring Green Lights & Red Flags . Andrew Smith, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, is among the featured speakers, and a roster of Ohio experts will share practical insights. Visit our event page for details. This year’s Green Lights & Red Flags event continues the popular business workshop series that the FTC has held over the years with regional partners in cities across the county. Topics include: Protecting Small Business from Scams . What federal and state law enforcers and the Better Business Bureau are doing to protect your company from business-to-business fraud, and steps you can take to help protect yourself. The Truth About False Advertising. An introduction to truth-in-advertising law. Avoiding a Promotion Commotion. Social media marketing, consumer reviews, children’s online privacy, email marketing, and other timely topics. The Secure Entrepreneur. Data security basics and practical tips on responding to a cyberattack. Green Lights & Red Flags will run from 1 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. Eastern Time on October 29th. Space is limited and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. To register, please use this link . We hope to see you there,","id":3197411},{"id":3196242,"description":"Made in USA? Avoiding a Yankee Doodle Don't wfg-adm109 October 21, 2013 | 11:17AM Made in USA? Avoiding a Yankee Doodle Don't By Lesley Fair There are lots of nifty phone accessories, bottle holders, tow straps, pet items, and lanyards out there.  So a label that says the product is Made in the USA may help make the decision for some consumers.  When it bears the American flag and says “TRULY MADE IN THE USA,” that just might seal the deal.  But according to an FTC lawsuit , a lot of the “Made in the USA” merchandise touted by Logan, Utah-based E.K. Ekcessories wasn’t really made in the USA – turning the company’s claims from a Yankee Doodle Do to a Yankee Doodle Don't. E.K. Ekcessories sells a variety of outdoor equipment through popular retailers and on its own site.  In addition to the labels, the company touted its products’ U.S. pedigree with statements like “For 28 years E.K. Ekcessories has been producing superior quality made accessories in our 60,000 sq. ft. facility in Logan, Utah,” and “Our source of pride and satisfaction abounds from a true ‘Made in USA’ product.” To say an item is made in the USA, all or virtually all of it has to be U.S.-made.  In other words, all significant parts and processing must be of U.S. origin, and the product should contain no – or negligible – foreign content. That’s the standard explained in the FTC’s 1997 Enforcement Policy Statement on U.S. Origin Claims.  But according to the complaint, in many cases, E.K. Ekcessories made “Made in USA” representations that were flat-out false.  In other instances, the FTC says the company slapped a label on a product without a reasonable basis for making the claim.  Both courses of conduct violate the FTC Act. Under the proposed order, the company can’t say a product is made in the USA unless all or virtually all of it really is made in the United States.  The order also bans other misleading claims about products’ country of origin. Given that other companies are selling the deceptively labeled merchandise, E.K. Ekcessories has to contact all distributors who bought or received products between January 1, 2010 and May 1, 2013, explaining the FTC’s lawsuit.  The retailers will be asked to pull marketing materials that say all E.K. Ekcessories stuff is U.S.-made or that describe a specific list of products as made in the United States, of U.S.-origin, or “Truly Made in the USA.”  For certain lines of products, they’ll get stickers to cover the inaccurate claims. You can file an online comment about the proposed settlement by November 21, 2013. The message for marketers?  First , it’s a good time to brush up on how to comply with Made in USA standards.  The Business Center has a dedicated Made in USA page to make that easier for you.  Second , given just how important many consumers take a Made in USA claim, companies that make that statement falsely or without a reasonable basis are risking law enforcement action.  Truly.","source":"FTC USA Business Blog Posts","pubDate":"Sun, 04 Oct 2026 08:05:12 +0200","url":"https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2013/10/made-usa-avoiding-yankee-doodle-dont","titre":"Made in USA? Avoiding a Yankee Doodle Don't"},{"description":"Speaking of Spokeo: Part 2 — The company’s allegedly bogus endorsements wfg-adm109 June 13, 2012 | 12:25PM Speaking of Spokeo: Part 2 — The company’s allegedly bogus endorsements By Lesley Fair The lawsuit against data broker Spokeo is the FTC’s first Fair Credit Reporting Act case addressing the collection of online info — including data from social networking sites — when used in the context of employment screening.  But that’s not the only way the Spokeo settlement touches on social media.  The FTC also charged that Spokeo violated Section 5 by having employees post glowing recommendations of the company’s services on news and technology websites without disclosing their true identity. Perhaps just the work of a rogue cubicle occupant?  No, said the FTC.  According to the complaint , Spokeo directed its employees to write the comments.  Spokeo managers then edited what they wrote and had the staffers post the endorsements using account names provided by Spokeo.  The purpose, says the FTC, was to give readers the misleading impression that the laudatory words had been posted by independent consumers or business users of Spokeo. The FTC’s revisions to its Endorsement Guides made headlines a few years ago.  Ironically enough, the provision that seemed to attract the most attention is one that didn’t change.  It’s the law — and it’s always been the law under Section 5 — that consumers have a right to know when there’s a material connection between an advertiser and an endorser.  Here’s how the Guides put it:  \"When there exists a connection between the endorser and the seller of the advertised product that might materially affect the weight or credibility of the endorsement ( i.e., the connection is not reasonably expected by the audience), such connection must be fully disclosed.\" According to the FTC, by posting comments that conveyed the untruthful impression that they came from satisfied users of Spokeo’s services, Spokeo engaged in false and misleading practices.  To settle the endorsement count in the lawsuit, Spokeo has agreed that it won’t misrepresent, expressly or by implication, the status of any user of a product or service — for example, that someone is an independent, ordinary endorser if that’s not the case.  The company also will clearly and prominently disclose any material connection between an endorser and Spokeo (or any other entity advertising, selling, or promoting a product) when a connection exists.  What about the bogus endorsements already posted?  Spokeo has seven days to take all reasonable steps to pull them down. Looking for more about complying with the Endorsement Guides?  Read The FTC’s Revised Endorsement Guides: What People are Asking and watch this video: While you’re at it, share this post and those resources with your marketing staff, your ad agency, your PR firm, and anyone else who plays a role in your publicity and promotions. Next:  What the Spokeo settlement means for your business, your next ad campaign, and your job search","id":3195787,"source":"FTC USA Business Blog Posts","titre":"Speaking of Spokeo: Part 2 — The company’s allegedly bogus endorsements","url":"https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2012/06/speaking-spokeo-part-2-companys-allegedly-bogus-endorsements","pubDate":"Sat, 03 Oct 2026 14:06:13 +0200"},{"pubDate":"Sat, 03 Oct 2026 08:09:37 +0200","titre":"Practice Fusion case suggests 6 health privacy pointers","url":"https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2016/06/practice-fusion-case-suggests-6-health-privacy-pointers","source":"FTC USA Business Blog Posts","id":3194910,"description":"Practice Fusion case suggests 6 health privacy pointers lfair June 8, 2016 | 9:01AM Practice Fusion case suggests 6 health privacy pointers By Lesley Fair Combine two of the most talked-about consumer protection topics – health privacy and consumer-generated online content – and what do you get? A proposed FTC settlement with Practice Fusion, the largest cloud-based electronic health records company in the country, and six compliance tips for others in the industry. One of San Francisco-based Practice Fusion’s primary products is an electronic records system for outpatient providers. In 2009, the company launched “Patient Fusion,” an online portal where patients whose providers were already using Practice Fusion could view or download their health information or transmit it to another provider. Patient Fusion also let patients send and receive secure messages from their providers. Fast forward several years and the company decided to expand Patient Fusion to include a public directory where current and prospective enrollees could search for doctors geographically or by specialty, read patient reviews of providers, and request appointments. But Practice Fusion had to ask itself a question familiar to many online companies: How do we get the content – in this case, patient reviews? That’s the focus of the FTC’s lawsuit. According to the complaint , Practice Fusion solicited data in a misleading way that led some patients to believe they were sending follow-up messages directly to their doctors about their diagnosis, medical treatment, prescriptions, etc. – and not contributing content to a public website. Practice Fusion, however, populated its new site with the information those people provided, some of which was highly sensitive. Here’s what happened. After appointments with their doctors, patients received emails titled “How was your visit?” The message continued, “To help improve your service in the future, please let us know how your visit went” and included a link with rating stars. The message ended this way: Thank you, Dr. [Name] In a footer, the message said “This email was sent to you by Patient Fusion®, a tool Doctor [Name] uses to deliver the highest quality of care to patients.” Below that in smaller print it said “Sent on behalf of Doctor [Name]’s office by: Practice Fusion.” If patients clicked the link, they were taken to a page that asked for feedback about things like how long they had to wait for their appointment, the doctor’s bedside manner, and whether their medical concern was addressed. There also was a text box where patients were invited to “leave a review for your provider.” Below that was a pre-checked box with the phrase “Keep this review anonymous.” What did some people put in that box? Highly sensitive information directly addressed to their doctors, not evaluations meant to be shared publicly. Here are just a few examples: “Dr [name], My Xanax prescription that I received on Monday was for 1 tablet a day but usually it’s for 2 tablets a day. I have not taken it to the pharmacy yet. Can I pick up a new one, or can I get a prescription called into a pharmacy? Thanks, [patient’s full name] “I called today and left a message regarding my daughter and no one has returned my call. I think she is depressed and has stated several times this week that she wishes she was dead. Could someone please call me [phone number]?” “The cefuroxime axetil does not seem to be doing anything for me. I did a little research and I think I have a yeast infection called candida. Not sure what to do about it yet. I guess I will first try to change my diet. Medication? [patient’s full name] “I would like to make an appointment for my back pain and possible shingles. Can you please call me @ [phone number]? Thank you! [patient's full name]” “I HAVE NO INFECTION [healthcare provider name].  EVERYTHING WENT"},{"pubDate":"Fri, 02 Oct 2026 08:34:17 +0200","titre":"Public consultation on the draft BEREC Work Programme 2027","url":"https://www.berec.europa.eu/en/public-consultations-calls-for-inputs/public-consultation-on-the-draft-berec-work-programme-2027","id":3193166,"description":"Public consultation on the draft BEREC Work Programme 2027 yannick.stephan Thu, 01/10/2026 - 09:00 Breadcrumbs Public Consultations & Calls for Inputs Deadline to submit contributions:  31 October 2026 In January this year, BEREC adopted the Outline BEREC Work Programme 2027 , which reflected BEREC's objectives for the upcoming year. BEREC launched a first Call for inputs on the Work Programme 2027 from 27 February to 15 April. During the call for proposals, several additional actions were identified. Considering the early input received, during the 68th BEREC ordinary meetings (1-2 October 2026), the Board of Regulators adopted the draft BEREC Work Programme 2027 [BoR (26) 142] for public consultation. Background BEREC prepares its annual work programme in accordance with Article 21 of the BEREC Regulation and the BEREC Strategy 2026-2030 to guide how it organises and prioritises its work towards clearly defined objectives. The 2027 draft work programme was developed inclusively and transparently, with contributions from various stakeholders. This approach helps ensure that BEREC remains responsive to market needs, regulatory developments, and end-user expectations. Aim The BEREC Work Programme 2027 aims to align with the BEREC Strategy 2026-2030 and its five strategic pillars: Promoting full connectivity and the Digital Single Market; Supporting competition-driven and open digital ecosystems; Empowering end-users; Contributing to sustainable, secure, and resilient digital infrastructures; Strengthening BEREC’s capabilities and continuous improvement. The work programme will also take into consideration priorities set for BEREC’s institutional and international cooperation. Furthermore, the 2027 work programme has been developed against the backdrop of the ongoing review of the regulatory framework and the European Commission’s proposal for a Digital Networks Act, published in January 2026. This piece of legislation is meant to be the cornerstone shaping the future of the sector in the EU. As an advisory body to EU institutions for electronic communications, BEREC is committed to providing expert, independent advice to co-legislators and the European Commission throughout the legislative procedure. BEREC also aims to provide support and advice on other relevant policy developments. In addition to the mandatory work foreseen in the EU regulatory framework, the BEREC work programme follows a multiannual approach, meaning some projects started in 2026 will be completed in 2027 and are therefore included as carryovers. Additionally, recurring items are considered by default. Submit your contributions The incoming BEREC Chair 2027, Alejandra de Iturriaga Gandini (CNMC, Spain), encourages all interested stakeholders to provide their views and contributions to the draft BEREC Work Programme 2027 by submitting them to BEREC-WP2027@DISTRO.BEREC.EUROPA.EU by 31 October 2026 . After submitting the contribution, you will receive an automatic acknowledgement email. If you do not receive this acknowledgement, please contact the BEREC Office. Contributions should be sent preferably in English, and, to facilitate processing of the responses, the comments provided should clearly refer to specific paragraphs of the document. In accordance with the BEREC policy on public consultations , BEREC will publish all contributions and a summary thereof, respecting confidentiality requests. In that regard, please clearly mark the parts you define as confidential. We strongly encourage all stakeholders to submit their contributions as early as possible. Contributions received after the above-mentioned deadline will not be taken into account. Privacy statement type Privacy Statement for Public Consultation Category Name Ongoing Public Consultations and Calls for Inputs Notify subscribers","source":"BEREC Office"},{"pubDate":"Fri, 25 Sep 2026 08:10:48 +0200","url":"https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/09/ftc-seeks-public-comment-whether-update-rule-impersonation-government-businesses-address-platforms","titre":"FTC Seeks Public Comment on Whether to Update Rule on Impersonation of Government and Businesses to Address Platforms’ Role in Promoting Impersonation Scams","source":"Federal Trade Commission - Protecting America's Consumers","id":3176041,"description":"The Federal Trade Commission announced today that is considering whether to update its Rule on Impersonation of Government and Businesses or take other action to prevent online platforms from engaging in ad-optimization practices that may be furthering impersonation scams. In an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) to be published in the Federal Register , the FTC is seeking comment on the extent to which ad-optimization tools and services offered by social media, search engines and other digital marketplace platforms further efforts by scammers to impersonate legitimate businesses and government agencies using online ads.  “Free markets depend on trust, transparency and consumers’ ability to make informed choices. Impersonation scams—especially when amplified by digital platforms that profit from them—do more than rob Americans of their hard-earned money,” said Christopher Mufarrige, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “They erode the very foundation that allows competitive markets to function. Today’s impersonation scams are no longer the work of isolated con artists; they are sophisticated, highly engineered operations powered by the same advertising and targeting tools that platforms sell to legitimate businesses. Consumers reported nearly $3.5 billion in losses to impersonation fraud last year, and the true cost is likely far higher. “The Commission’s mission has always been to safeguard the conditions under which competitive markets can thrive. Increasingly, consumers rely on a small number of dominant digital platforms for everyday transactions—from shopping, banking and travel bookings to accessing government services. Yet these platforms are the very places fraudsters seek out consumers, exploiting their trust while platforms profit from optimizing and disseminating scam ads. “Today’s advance notice of proposed rulemaking asks whether the Commission should require platforms to take concrete steps to prevent impersonation ads from ever reaching consumers. By exploring potential new obligations platforms would have to follow, the rulemaking aims to ensure that Americans participate in an online economy where truthful information guides consumer choice.”  Impersonation scams have topped the list of fraud complaints reported to the FTC by consumers in recent years. In 2025, the FTC received more than 1 million reports about imposter scams from consumers, who reported losing nearly $3.5 billion to such scams. In addition, online platforms play an important role in many scams. For example, nearly 30% of consumers who reported losing money to scammers in 2025 said they were first contacted on social media platforms, with reported losses reaching $2.1 billion. The ANPRM notes that impersonation scams have been amplified by search engines, social media and other digital marketplace platforms that profit from optimizing online ads for third parties, regardless of whether the third parties are legitimate. The ANPRM seeks comment on a wide range of topics related to the use of these ad-optimization tools and services and the proliferation of ads that impersonate businesses and government agencies including:  The financial incentives driving these platforms to offer ad-optimization tools and services, details on how each tool and service optimizes the content and delivery of the ad, and the steps platforms currently take to prevent the use of such tools and services for deceptive advertising The extent to which these platform ad-optimization tools and services constitute unfair or deceptive acts or practices by furthering impersonation scams Whether these unfair or deceptive acts or practices are prevalent in the marketplace and whether the Commission should address these acts or practices by amending the existing Impersonation Rule, proposing a new separate rule or implementing non-regulatory Measures Measures the Commission could consider in crafting any new regulations, including vetting"},{"source":"Federal Trade Commission - Protecting America's Consumers","description":"Today, 22 states joined the Federal Trade Commission in filing suit against Amazon, alleging that the company engaged in deceptive and unfair practices that secretly inflated prices in its online search advertising auctions. The complaint   alleges that, for over seven years, Amazon has covertly and substantially increased the prices that more than one million brands and sellers were required to pay to advertise on its platform. As a result, the complaint alleges that Amazon’s scheme has likely extracted tens of billions of dollars from its unwitting advertising customers. “When one of the world’s largest online retailers engages in unfair and deceptive conduct, the impact can be staggering,” said Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson. “Amazon has millions of advertising customers who were misled into paying significantly higher prices. These higher costs were largely passed on to American consumers. The FTC under President Trump won’t allow this deception to continue.” The FTC, along with the attorneys general of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont and Washington, allege Amazon has imposed undisclosed surcharges on its advertising customers, which include over 500,000 small- and medium-sized businesses that participated in auctions for advertising placements on Amazon.com and its mobile app. In these auctions, prospective advertisers bid to place Sponsored Product ads, Sponsored Brands ads and Display Ads alongside the results that appear when a consumer searches for a product using a keyword on Amazon’s store. Placements are auctioned to the highest-ranked bidder for each keyword. As described in the complaint, Amazon has represented to prospective advertisers for years that Amazon runs “second price” auctions where the winner of the auction would only pay “one cent more than the next highest bidder” for each successful bid for an advertising keyword. However, in practice, the complaint alleges that Amazon has charged its Sponsored Products advertisers their own winning bid close to 80% of the time and has effectively converted its nominally “second price” auction into a first price auction. According to the complaint, Amazon’s “second price” auctions have been described by Amazon, and understood by advertisers, to be run as generalized second-price, or GSP auctions, which have been the accepted industry standard for digital advertising placements. The complaint states that Amazon has made these or similar representations on its website, in training videos and in other public-facing materials, as well as in presentations made to advertisers by its hundreds of sales personnel.  The type of auction matters to advertisers because it impacts how they bid. In a sealed first-price auction—the type of auction where winners pay the amount of their winning bid—bidders run the risk that they might overbid. So, in repetitive auctions for the same goods, they will often reduce their bid to determine what the minimum amount needed to win future auctions might be. This is called bid shading. In second-price auctions, bidders are more likely to bid higher, closer to their true value for the product, because they will only be liable to pay the least bid amount needed to win under the auction’s rules.  As alleged in the complaint, Amazon told advertisers it ran a GSP, but for years its auction pricing had “a surcharge hidden in it,” in the words of one internal Amazon document. The complaint alleges that, beginning in 2019, Amazon changed its auction rules without notice by adding an undisclosed surcharge that Amazon referred to internally as a “soft reserve price.” This resulted in advertisers paying substantially more than the price determined by the GSP auction.  According to the complaint, Amazon","id":3127461,"url":"https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/08/ftc-states-sue-amazon-over-secret-ad-surcharge-scheme","titre":"FTC, States Sue Amazon Over Secret Ad Surcharge Scheme","pubDate":"Tue, 01 Sep 2026 08:10:10 +0200"},{"pubDate":"Fri, 28 Aug 2026 07:58:57 +0200","url":"https://www.slaw.ca/2026/08/27/where-are-the-law-librarians/","titre":"Where Are the Law Librarians?","source":"Slaw","id":3120291,"description":"In recent years, the number of law librarians in public sector and academic roles has declined. Most notably, the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG) has reduced the staff of its Toronto-based law library to the point that, as of sometime in 2025, it no longer has a professionally staffed law library. [2] In other words, no actual librarians work at the law library of the Ministry of the Attorney General. [3] This deprofessionalization took place quietly and gradually, with no public announcement, no discussion in the legislature, and no opportunity for public scrutiny. The MAG is not the . . . [more] The post Where Are the Law Librarians? appeared first on Slaw"},{"titre":"FTC Data Show People Reported Losing $3.5 Billion to Imposter Scams in 2025","url":"https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/06/ftc-data-show-people-reported-losing-3-point-5-billion-imposter-scams-2025","pubDate":"Tue, 16 Jun 2026 08:09:40 +0200","source":"Federal Trade Commission - Protecting America's Consumers","description":"New data from the Federal Trade Commission reveal that people reported losing a staggering $3.5 billion to imposter scams in 2025, with reported losses increasing nearly three times since 2020. FTC data also show that people reported imposter scams more than any other fraud category in 2025—nearly one in three fraud reports were about imposter scams. These scams lured consumers through text, phone, email, social media, search engine results and other means. Some of the costliest impersonation scams start with a fake security alert, often from a bank. People are convinced to move money to “protect” it, with their losses often limited only by their available funds. Last year, people reported losing nearly $1 billion to business impersonators with the highest reported losses to bank impersonators—and about $920 million to government impersonators, up from $866 million and $789 million respectively in 2024. The FTC has seen a striking increase in reported fraud losses to all types of fraud—about $16 billion was reported lost in 2025, the highest on record and an increase of about 25% compared to the 2024 figure. “Consumers derive enormous benefits from competitive markets built on truthful information. But fraud undermines that foundation, impeding the market process and preventing markets from operating efficiently,” said Christopher Mufarrige, Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The FTC will use every tool available to combat one of the most pernicious forms of fraud—government and business impersonation—and to protect the integrity of the digital economy.” The data underscore the importance of the FTC’s work with the  Elder Justice Coordinating Council (EJCC) , which is working to help raise awareness of imposter scams and other scams impacting older adults as well as other consumers. This year, the FTC, along with the Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services and members of the EJCC, is leading the Never Ever campaign, a public-private coordinated consumer education effort to raise awareness of government and business imposter scams. In addition to the federal agency members of the EJCC , the campaign also includes private sector representatives such as the American Bankers Association, USTelecom, Google and Microsoft. To help the public spot imposter scams, EJCC members launched the Never Ever campaign, which is aimed at promoting messaging on the key actions that government and businesses will Never Ever take. The Never Ever campaign will run from June 15 to June 26, in conjunction with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. This first-of-its-kind public-private partnership includes participants from a wide range of organizations and is aimed at directing consumers to a website that includes information and resources to help them avoid imposter scams and what to do if they spot one. Enforcement Actions To help combat impersonation scams, the FTC in 2024 finalized the Impersonation Rule. The Rule gives the agency stronger tools to combat and deter scammers who impersonate government agencies and businesses, enabling the FTC to file federal court cases seeking to get money back to injured consumers and civil penalties against rule violators. Since then, the FTC has vigorously enforced the rule and brought a dozen enforcement actions that have resulted in halting imposter schemes and obtained over $70 million in redress for consumers. In 2025, the FTC brought law enforcement actions under the Impersonation Rule against:  American Tax Service (IRS imposter scheme);  MediaAlpha (government imposter scheme to sell health insurance);  Click Profit (business imposter money making scam);  Blackstone Legal (phantom debt business imposter scheme) and  Accelerated Debt Settlement (government and business imposter scheme that targeted older adults for debt relief). More recently, the  FTC filed a complaint against Innovative Partners in April 2026 , alleging the operators","id":2959787},{"description":"Brussels, 27 April – Today marks the 10th anniversary of the GDPR’s adoption, the first comprehensive data protection framework spanning an entire continent, establishing clear rights for individuals and obligations for organisations across Europe. The moment that led to the creation of the EDPB The GDPR led to the establishment of the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) on 25 May 2018, replacing the Article 29 Working Party that was previously in charge of dealing with issues relating to the protection of personal data. The GDPR gave the Data Protection Authorities (DPAs) stronger enforcement powers and expanded the scope of their work from focusing mainly on national compliance complaints to routinely dealing with cross-border cases. In the past 10 years, the 31 European DPAs comprising the EDPB have worked together to ensure the consistent enforcement of the GDPR and a harmonised data protection approach across Europe.   A key role in an evolving digital landscape Today, the GDPR is part of a broader and evolving European digital framework, alongside other digital laws such as the Digital Services Act, the Digital Markets Act, and the AI Act . In a world shaped by artificial intelligence, platform economies, and increasing data-driven innovation, the GDPR ensures that technological progress goes hand in hand with the protection of individuals’ fundamental rights . An inspiration for the rest of the world The impact of the GDPR has extended far beyond Europe’s borders, inspiring similar frameworks across the globe and contributing to a growing international recognition of privacy as a fundamental right .   How the GDPR has shaped the data protection landscape: insights from Data Protection Authorities Have you ever wondered what the data protection landscape looked like before the GDPR and how DPAs prepared for its entry into force? How has life for Europeans changed since its adoption? Watch the video for insights and testimonies from Data Protection Authorities which contributed to the shaping of the data protection landscape in Europe.   Sorry, your browser doesn't support embedded","id":2850552,"source":"EDPB News","titre":"Marking 10 years of the GDPR: the evolution of the European data protection landscape","url":"https://www.edpb.europa.eu/news/news/2026/marking-10-years-gdpr-evolution-european-data-protection-landscape_en","pubDate":"Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:14:32 +0200"},{"source":"EDPB News","description":"Brussels, 09 April - The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has published its  2025 Annual Report . The report provides an overview of the EDPB work carried out in 2025 and reflects on important milestones, such as the adoption of the  Helsinki Statement on Enhanced Clarity, Support, and Engagement . “In 2025, we saw the data protection landscape change significantly. The rapid expansion of the EU’s digital regulatory framework has added complexity to the data protection ecosystem. To help organisations navigate this complexity and support compliance, the EDPB focused on enhancing legal certainty, making compliance more achievable in practice, and strengthening cooperation, both among Data Protection Authorities and with other regulators.  We also prioritised meaningful dialogue with stakeholders to ensure our work reflected real-world needs. Our achievements support economic growth while continuing to protect individuals’ fundamental rights to privacy and data protection.” EDPB Chair, Anu Talus   The Helsinki’s statement initiatives leading the way In 2025, the EDPB worked actively to address the demand for regulatory simplification to support innovation and economic growth, while ensuring the protection of individuals’ personal data.  With this in mind, the Board adopted the  Helsinki Statement on Enhanced Clarity, Support, and Engagement , which outlines new initiatives to  make GDPR compliance easier, strengthen consistency, enhance the dialogue and improve transparency with stakeholders and boost cross-regulatory cooperation .   For example, the Board launched a public consultation to ask organisations which templates would be most useful, organised several stakeholder events to consult organisations on upcoming guidelines and systematically published reports on stakeholder input.    Easing compliance for organisations and providing legal advice In the context of ongoing discussions on regulatory simplification at EU level, the EDPB actively contributed to legislative initiatives aimed at reducing administrative burden and streamlining requirements. The Board adopted a  joint opinion with the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) on the Commission’s Proposal for a Regulation amending certain regulations, including the GDPR.  In addition, the Board held important discussions on this matter during plenary meetings, which subsequently informed the  EPDB/EDPS joint opinions on the Commission’s proposals on the  Digital Omnibus and on the  Digital Omnibus on AI adopted at the beginning of 2026. The Board also delivered five adequacy-related opinions concerning United Kingdom, Brazil and the European Patent Organisation (EPO).  In addition, the Board adopted  Recommendations on the legal basis for requiring the creation of user accounts on e-commerce websites , and  Recommendations on the 2027 WADA World Anti-Doping Code  upon request from the Commission.   Strengthening cross-regulatory cooperation Cross-regulatory cooperation was a key focus for the EDPB last year. The EDPB worked together with the European Commission to clarify how data protection and digital laws interact and to address legal and practical challenges in cross-sectoral cases. In 2025, the EDPB adopted its first set of  joint guidelines with the Commission on the interplay between the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the GDPR . The Board also worked with the Commission on joint guidelines on the interplay between the AI act and EU data protection laws for adoption in 2026.  In addition, the EDPB adopted  guidelines on the interplay between the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the GDPR .   Placing stakeholders at the heart of the EDPB work In 2025, a public consultation was launched on the  joint guidelines with the Commission on the DMA and the GDPR . The Board has also organised public consultations on the EDPB guidelines on  DSA and GDPR","id":2816021,"titre":"EDPB annual report 2025: supporting stakeholders through guidance and dialogue","url":"https://www.edpb.europa.eu/news/news/2026/edpb-annual-report-2025-supporting-stakeholders-through-guidance-and-dialogue_en","pubDate":"Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:14:02 +0200"},{"source":"EDPB News","description":"Brussels, 19 March - The EDPB has launched its Coordinated Enforcement Framework (CEF) action for 2026*. Following a year-long coordinated action on the right to erasure in 2025 , the CEF's focus this year will shift to compliance with the obligations of transparency and information under the GDPR . The GDPR ensures that individuals are informed when their data is being processed (under Art. 12, 13 and 14). This right to be informed is a core element of transparency and ensures that individuals have more control over their data. Next steps During 2026, 25 Data Protection Authorities (DPAs) across Europe will take part in this initiative. They will look closely to assess the compliance of controllers with their transparency obligations under the GDPR. Participating DPAs will soon contact controllers from different sectors across Europe, either through enforcement actions or fact-finding exercises. In the latter case, they might also decide to undertake additional follow-up actions if needed. During the second half of the year, participating DPAs will share and discuss their findings together, with a view to aggregate the results of their national actions and generate deeper insight into the topic. A consolidated report will then be drafted and submitted for adoption by the EDPB, allowing for targeted follow-ups on both national and EU levels. Background The CEF is a key action of the EDPB under its 2024-2027 Strategy , aimed at streamlining enforcement and cooperation among DPAs. In 2023, the EDPB published the report on its first coordinated action on the use of cloud-based services by the public sector . In 2024, the EDPB also published the report on the outcome of the second coordinated action on the designation and position of Data Protection Officers . In 2025, the EDPB issued the report on its third coordination action on the implementation of the right of access . In 2026, the EDPB has adopted a report on its Coordinated Enforcement Framework (CEF) action on the right to be forgotten (Art.17 GDPR) .   Note to editors: *The Board selected this topic during its October 2025 plenary","id":2769535,"titre":"CEF 2026: EDPB launches coordinated enforcement action on transparency and information obligations under the GDPR","url":"https://www.edpb.europa.eu/news/news/2026/cef-2026-edpb-launches-coordinated-enforcement-action-transparency-and-information_en","pubDate":"Thu, 19 Mar 2026 14:12:59 +0100"},{"source":"Federal Trade Commission - Protecting America's Consumers","description":"The Federal Trade Commission finalized an order with General Motors and OnStar settling allegations that they collected, used, and sold consumers’ precise geolocation data and driving behavior data from millions of vehicles without adequately notifying consumers and obtaining their affirmative consent. Under the order finalized by the Commission, General Motors LLC, General Motors Holdings LLC, and OnStar, LLC (collectively GM), which are owned by General Motors Company, are prohibited from sharing certain consumer data with consumer reporting agencies. They also are required to take steps to provide greater transparency and choice to consumers over the collection, use, and disclosure of their connected vehicle data. In a complaint first announced in January 2025, the FTC alleged that GM used a misleading enrollment process to get consumers to sign up for its OnStar connected vehicle service and OnStar Smart Driver feature. The FTC also alleged that GM failed to clearly disclose that it collected consumers’ precise geolocation and driving behavior data via the Smart Driver feature and sold it to third parties without consumers’ consent. The final order approved by the Commission imposes a five-year ban on GM disclosing consumers’ geolocation and driver behavior data to consumer reporting agencies. This fencing-in relief is appropriate given GM’s egregious betrayal of consumers’ trust. And for the entire 20-year life of the order, GM will be required to: obtain affirmative express consent from consumers prior to collecting, using, or sharing connected vehicle data (including sharing data with consumer reporting agencies), with some exceptions such as for providing location data to emergency first responders; create a way for all U.S. consumers to request a copy of their data and seek its deletion; give consumers the ability to disable the collection of precise geolocation data from their vehicles if their vehicle has the necessary technology; and provide a way for consumers to opt out of the collection of geolocation and driver behavior data, with some limited exceptions. The Commission voted 2-0 to approve the final order and complaint as well as provide responses to","id":2633494,"titre":"FTC Finalizes Order Settling Allegations that GM and OnStar Collected and Sold Geolocation Data Without Consumers’ Informed Consent","url":"https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/01/ftc-finalizes-order-settling-allegations-gm-onstar-collected-sold-geolocation-data-without-consumers","pubDate":"Thu, 15 Jan 2026 09:52:25 +0100"},{"titre":"From promise to progress: what the European Commission has delivered in its first year of office","url":"https://ec.europa.eu/stories/soteu25-achievements/","pubDate":"Sat, 06 Sep 2025 09:57:11 +0200","source":"EU News Business, taxation and competition","description":"People across the EU want action to address inflation, the cost of living, energy prices, the housing crisis and the growing impact of extreme weather events. Discover what the Commission has been doing to meet these challenges ahead of President von der Leyen’s State of the Union speech next","id":2354062},{"url":"https://ec.europa.eu/stories/100-days/","titre":"First 100 days: what the Commission has achieved","pubDate":"Mon, 10 Mar 2025 16:00:37 +0100","description":"Ensuring Europe’s competitiveness and security is top of the EU agenda for the next few years. The European Commission has taken important steps towards meetings these goals in its first 100 days in office. See what they have achieved so","id":1970950,"source":"EU News Business, taxation and competition"},{"pubDate":"Mon, 20 Jan 2025 15:49:16 +0100","titre":"CEF 2024: EDPB identifies challenges to the full implementation of the right of access","url":"https://www.edpb.europa.eu/news/news/2025/cef-2024-edpb-identifies-challenges-full-implementation-right-access_en","id":1857297,"description":"Brussels, 20 January - The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has adopted a report on the implementation of the right of access by controllers . The report summarises the outcome of a series of coordinated national actions carried out in 2024 under the Coordinated Enforcement Framework (CEF). It lists the issues that were observed for some controllers, along with a series of recommendations to help them implement the right of access. A central element is controllers’ awareness of the EDPB Guidelines 01/2022 on data subjects rights – Right of access and whether these guidelines were followed in practice. EDPB Deputy Chair Zdravko Vukíc said: “The CEF is a valuable initiative that helps strengthen the cooperation among Data Protection Authorities (DPAs): by tackling selected topics in a coordinated fashion, they achieve greater efficiency and more consistency. How controllers implement the right of access lies at the heart of data protection and it is one of the most frequently exercised data subject rights.” Throughout 2024, 30 DPAs across Europe launched coordinated investigations into the compliance of controllers with the right of access, by opening formal investigations, assessing whether a formal investigation was warranted and/or carrying out fact-finding exercises.  A total of 1,185 controllers, consisting of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and big companies active in different industries and fields, as well as various types of public entities, responded to the action. Areas of improvement and main challenges The results suggest that more awareness raising about Guidelines 01/2022 is necessary , both at national and EU level, as the guidelines help controllers implement the right of access, explain how exercising this right can be made easier, and list the exceptions and limitations of the right to access. As a result of the 2024 CEF action, seven challenges were identified. One of them is the lack of documented internal procedures to handle access requests. In addition, inconsistent and excessive interpretations of the limits to the right of access were also observed, such as overly relying on certain exceptions to automatically refuse access requests. Another example is the barriers that individuals could encounter when exercising their right of access, such as  formal requirements or being requested to provide excessive identification documents. For each challenge identified, the report provides a list of non-binding recommendations to be taken into account by controllers and DPAs. Positive findings Despite the existing challenges, two thirds of participating DPAs evaluated the level of compliance of responding controllers with respect to the right of access from ‘average’ to ‘high’. One important factor identified as having an impact on the level of compliance was the volume of access requests received by controllers, as well as the size of the organisation. More specifically, large-sized controllers or controllers receiving more requests were more likely to reach a higher level of compliance than small organisations with less resources. Positive findings were observed across Europe. These include the implementation of best practices by controllers, such as user-friendly online forms enabling individuals to submit an access request easily as well as self-service systems to allow individuals to autonomously download their personal data in a few clicks and at any time. Background and next steps The CEF is a key action of the EDPB under its 2024-2027 Strategy, aimed at streamlining enforcement and cooperation among DPAs.  In the past three years, two previous CEF actions were carried out. The results of these national actions are aggregated and analysed together to generate deeper insight into the topic and allowing for targeted follow-up on both national and EU level. In 2023, the EDPB published the report on its first coordinated action on the use of cloud-based services by the public sector . In 2024, the EDPB also published the","source":"EDPB News"},{"source":"Business Today","description":"Key Takeaways: A Game-Changer in Fintech Emerges In a landscape dominated by financial giants, a rising star has emerged in the form of Allica Bank, a fintech disruptor redefining banking for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). With a stellar performance in 2023, Allica Bank’s Annual Report paints a picture of extraordinary growth, substantial financial gains, and groundbreaking achievements. Trailblazing in the Fintech Realm Allica Bank’s journey to success is nothing short of extraordinary. Within just three years of opening its doors to lending, the bank has etched its name as the fastest-growing UK fintech ever, a title bestowed upon it The post Unveiling a Fintech Phenomenon: Allica Bank’s Spectacular Rise to Profitability appeared first on Business Today","id":1282822,"url":"https://businesstoday.news/unveiling-a-fintech-phenomenon-allica-banks-spectacular-rise-to-profitability/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=unveiling-a-fintech-phenomenon-allica-banks-spectacular-rise-to-profitability","titre":"Unveiling a Fintech Phenomenon: Allica Bank’s Spectacular Rise to Profitability","pubDate":"Sat, 27 Apr 2024 10:39:47 +0200"},{"source":"Business Today","description":"Key Takeaways: Introduction to a New Era of Fraud Prevention Mangopay’s Strategic Move In a significant boost to its fraud prevention capabilities, Mangopay has appointed Bertrand Dezard as the Head of Sales for Fraud. Dezard’s role will be pivotal in driving the company’s international strategy, particularly focusing on expanding the reach of Mangopay’s advanced cybersecurity solutions in Europe and Latin America. Bertrand Dezard: A Veteran in Fraud Prevention Background and Expertise With over 15 years in the payments and fraud prevention sector, Dezard brings a wealth of experience to Mangopay. His previous stints at major companies like Visa Europe and The post Guarding the Gates: The Mastermind Behind the Next Big Leap in Fraud Prevention appeared first on Business Today","id":1237680,"url":"https://businesstoday.news/guarding-the-gates-the-mastermind-behind-the-next-big-leap-in-fraud-prevention/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=guarding-the-gates-the-mastermind-behind-the-next-big-leap-in-fraud-prevention","titre":"Guarding the Gates: The Mastermind Behind the Next Big Leap in Fraud Prevention","pubDate":"Tue, 09 Apr 2024 10:37:19 +0200"},{"source":"Business Today","id":1187462,"description":"Key Takeaways: In a bold strategic move set to revolutionize the education sector, Ludenso, a leading provider of spatial technology for publishers and educational textbooks, has announced the appointment of Karen V. Ordones as its new Director of Partnerships. With a stellar career spanning 15 years in education and a decade of experience in startup management, Karen is poised to play a pivotal role in advancing Ludenso’s mission of reshaping the learning experience through augmented reality (AR) technology. Empowering Education Through Innovation: Ludenso’s Vision As the world grapples with the evolving demands of education in the digital age, Ludenso stands The post Revealed: Education Industry’s Secret Weapon Unleashed! appeared first on Business Today","pubDate":"Fri, 15 Mar 2024 16:31:28 +0100","titre":"Revealed: Education Industry’s Secret Weapon Unleashed!","url":"https://businesstoday.news/revealed-education-industrys-secret-weapon-unleashed/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=revealed-education-industrys-secret-weapon-unleashed"},{"source":"Business Today","description":"Key Takeaways: Armalytix: A Driving Force in Property Transactions In a groundbreaking development, Armalytix, the leading UK-based data intelligence firm specializing in source of funds and affordability checks, has emerged as the driving force behind legal firms responsible for 1 in 8 residential property transactions conducted in England and Wales. Within just two years since its market introduction, Armalytix’s technology has rapidly evolved into the foremost provider for legal firms engaged in property transactions. A Year of Success: Recognitions and Uptake Following a successful 2023 marked by nominations for Modern Law and the British Conveyancing Awards, Armalytix has witnessed a The post Revealed: The Secret Behind 1 in 8 Property Transactions in England and Wales! appeared first on Business Today","id":1184936,"url":"https://businesstoday.news/revealed-the-secret-behind-1-in-8-property-transactions-in-england-and-wales/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=revealed-the-secret-behind-1-in-8-property-transactions-in-england-and-wales","titre":"Revealed: The Secret Behind 1 in 8 Property Transactions in England and Wales!","pubDate":"Thu, 14 Mar 2024 16:29:57 +0100"},{"source":"EHPM","description":"EHPM has proudly unveiled its Annual Report 2023, offering a comprehensive insight into the organisation's key activities and accomplishments throughout the year, as well as the public affairs strategy for 2024. Director General Livia Menichetti introduced the report during the EHPM 2024 General Assembly in Brussels on Wednesday, 28 February 2023. This marks the fourth Read more > The post Read the EHPM Annual Report 2023! appeared first on Ehpm","id":1159340,"url":"https://ehpm.org/news/read-the-ehpm-annual-report-2023/","titre":"Read the EHPM Annual Report 2023!","pubDate":"Sat, 02 Mar 2024 09:36:51 +0100"}]