[{"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","titre":"FTC challenges Online Trading Academy’s money-making claims","pubDate":"Mon, 05 Oct 2026 08:07:09 +0200","id":3197414,"source":"FTC USA Business Blog Posts","url":"https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2020/02/ftc-challenges-online-trading-academys-money-making-claims"},{"source":"EDPB News","url":"https://www.edpb.europa.eu/news/news/2026/cef-2026-edpb-launches-coordinated-enforcement-action-transparency-and-information_en","titre":"CEF 2026: EDPB launches coordinated enforcement action on transparency and information obligations under the GDPR","id":2769535,"pubDate":"Thu, 19 Mar 2026 14:12:59 +0100","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"},{"url":"https://www.edpb.europa.eu/news/news/2026/edpb-identifies-challenges-hindering-full-implementation-right-erasure_en","source":"EDPB News","pubDate":"Wed, 18 Feb 2026 15:27:14 +0100","id":2703238,"titre":"EDPB identifies challenges hindering the full implementation of the right to erasure","description":"Brussels, 18 February - The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has adopted a  report on its Coordinated Enforcement Framework (CEF) action on the right to be forgotten (Art.17 GDPR) .  The  Board selected this topic  as it is one of the most frequently exercised GDPR rights and one about which DPAs frequently receive complaints from individuals. The main objectives of this coordinated action are to ensure that the right to erasure is effectively exercised by individuals in Europe and understand how controllers comply with this right in practice. In addition, the EDPB identified good practices and the most important related challenges, with the aim of providing further guidance on this topic.  Throughout 2025, 32 DPAs across Europe took part in this initiative. More specifically, 9 DPAs have initiated new formal investigations or have continued ongoing ones, and 23 DPAs carried out a fact-finding exercise. A total of 764 controllers across Europe responded to the action, ranging from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to big companies active in many different industries and fields, as well as various types of public entities. The results of these national actions have been aggregated and analysed together allowing for targeted follow-up on both national and EU level.   Areas of improvement and main challenges The report lists the issues that were identified, along with a series of recommendations addressed to controllers, to help them implement the right to erasure. Seven recurring main challenges were identified by DPAs. The results confirmed some of the findings of the 2024 coordinated action on the right of access , for example when it comes to the lack of appropriate internal procedures to handle requests, or the lack of sufficient information provided to individuals. In addition, participating DPAs reported specific findings related to the reliance by some controllers on inefficient anonymisation techniques to handle erasure requests as an alternative to deletion. DPAs also noted inconsistent practices, and the difficulties faced by controllers regarding the determination of retention periods and the deletion of personal data in the context of back-ups. In addition, as the right to erasure is not an absolute right, some controllers face difficulties in assessing and applying the conditions for the exercise of this right, including in carrying out the different balancing tests between the right to erasure and other rights and freedoms.   Follow-up to help organisations comply  Extensive guidance, documents and templates exist at national level to help controllers comply with the right of erasure and help individuals exercise this right. In line with the Helsinki Statement’s objectives of making GDPR compliance easier and ensuring consistent interpretation and enforcement across Europe, the extensive guidance and templates already available at national level will be leveraged at EDPB level where appropriate.   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 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 . The CEF 2026 action will be on the  obligations of transparency and information under the GDPR .   For further information: DA DPA:   EDPB vedtager rapport om dataansvarliges overholdelse af retten til sletning EL DPA: Ολοκλήρωση της συντονισμένης δράσης του"},{"description":"Brussels, 12 September - During its September plenary meeting, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has adopted guidelines on the interplay between the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) . These are the first set of EDPB guidelines on the interplay between the GDPR and the EU’s recently adopted digital laws. The DSA aims to complement the rules of the GDPR to ensure the highest level of protection of fundamental rights in the digital space. Its main goal is to create a safer online environment in which the fundamental rights of all users, including the right to freedom of expression, are protected. It applies to online intermediary services , such as search engines and platforms. Several provisions included in the DSA entail the processing of personal data by intermediary service providers. The EDPB guidelines contribute to the consistent application of the DSA and of the GDPR, insofar as some provisions of the DSA concern the processing of personal data by intermediary service providers and include references to GDPR concepts and definitions. While it is up to the competent authorities under the DSA - with the support of the European Board for Digital Services and EU courts - to interpret the DSA, there are a number of provisions which relate to the GDPR. These include: notice-and-action systems that help individuals or entities report illegal content recommender systems used by online platforms to automatically present specific content to the users of the platform with a certain relative order or prominence the provisions to ensure a high level of privacy, safety, and security of minors and prohibiting that profile-based advertising using their data is presented to them transparency of advertising by online platforms prohibition of profiling-based advertising using special categories of data  The EDPB guidelines help to understand how the GDPR should be applied in the context of DSA obligations. The EDPB also provides practical guidance relating to the cross-regulatory cooperation between authorities to coordinate enforcement which will provide more legal certainty for intermediary service providers and ultimately to protect the rights and freedoms of individuals. The guidelines will be subject to public consultation, providing stakeholders with the opportunity to comment and provide feedback. EDPB Chair Anu Talus said: “By clarifying the interplay between the DSA and the GDPR, these guidelines mark a significant step towards ensuring a coherent and effective EU digital rulebook, and they will help uphold the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals. I hope that stakeholders, including the competent authorities under the DSA, will make the most of the opportunity to contribute to the public consultation\". More work in the pipeline Following these first guidelines on the interplay between the GDPR and the DSA, further work is underway with other regulators to clarify the new cross-regulatory landscape and maintain coherent and consistent safeguards for the protection of personal data. In this regard, the EDPB is working on joint guidelines with the European Commission on the interplay between the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the GDPR, as well as on joint guidelines on the interplay between the AI Act and EU data protection laws.","titre":"Interplay between the DSA and the GDPR: EDPB adopts guidelines","id":2368407,"pubDate":"Fri, 12 Sep 2025 15:51:31 +0200","source":"EDPB News","url":"https://www.edpb.europa.eu/news/news/2025/interplay-between-dsa-and-gdpr-edpb-adopts-guidelines_en"}]