Federal Laws Governing Ads Consumer Basics Federal Laws Governing Ads There are many federal laws that regulate advertisements in some way or another.
Food and Drug Administration Consumer Basics Food and Drug Administration The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the federal agency that is responsible for protecting public health through regulation and supervision of several different types of products, including food…
Who Can You Complain to at the Federal Level? Consumer Basics Who Can You Complain to at the Federal Level? A topic-by-topic list of federal agencies that deal with deceptive advertising.
Small Claims Court Consumer Basics Small Claims Court Duped by a false ad? You might consider filing a lawsuit in Small Claims Court.
Deceptive Marketing 101: Recyclable Claims Consumer Basics Deceptive Marketing 101: Recyclable Claims How products marketed as “recyclable” end up in landfills.
Is That Ad Deceptive? Consumer Basics Is That Ad Deceptive? A three-part test can help answer that question.
What Does Made in the USA Really Mean? Consumer Basics What Does Made in the USA Really Mean? When does a product truly meet the requirements for a Made in USA label?
U.S. Department of Justice Consumer Basics U.S. Department of Justice The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), which is led by the Attorney General, is the federal executive department responsible for enforcing federal laws. Among other things, it works with other…
Puffery – A Marketer’s Right To Lie Consumer Basics Puffery – A Marketer’s Right To Lie Ads can legally lie to you as long as the lie is so obvious an exaggeration that you know not to take it seriously.
Better Business Bureau Consumer Basics Better Business Bureau The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is made up of several local chapters in the United States and Canada that all work through their parent corporation, the Council of Better Business…
U.S. Department of the Interior Consumer Basics U.S. Department of the Interior The Department of Interior (DOI), established in 1849, is the federal department responsible for protecting the country’s natural resources and cultural heritage.
FDA Registered, Cleared, Approved: What’s the Difference? Consumer Basics FDA Registered, Cleared, Approved: What’s the Difference? Medical devices like to tout their status with the FDA. But what’s behind these terms?
Entertainment Software Association Consumer Basics Entertainment Software Association The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) is an association based in D.C. that is exclusively dedicated to serving video game companies. The group lobbies Congress and other legislative bodies extensively in…
Federal Trade Commission Consumer Basics Federal Trade Commission The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which was created in 1914, is a federal agency that is tasked with promoting consumer protection. One of the central ways it does this is…
Celeb Endorsements Consumer Basics Celeb Endorsements Why is your favorite celebrity attracted to that specific product?
Consumer Healthcare Products Association Consumer Basics Consumer Healthcare Products Association The Consumer Healthcare Products Association is a large trade association that represents manufacturers and distributors of nonprescription, over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements.
How Causewashing Deceives Consumers Consumer Basics How Causewashing Deceives Consumers For decades, brands have been supporting causes — or rather pretending to support causes — to boost sales.
Sales, Bargains, Discounts Consumer Basics Sales, Bargains, Discounts Shoppers face fictitious pricing, perpetual sales and more when trying to decipher a true bargain in the aisle.
What to Know about Sponsored Content Consumer Basics What to Know about Sponsored Content It’s getting harder to distinguish advertisements from objective content.
Truth is Not Always a Defense Consumer Basics Truth is Not Always a Defense The truth is bigger than the sum of an ad’s parts.