United States: Consumer Law

State regulators are intensifying scrutiny of digital goods marketing practices, particularly whether consumers understand the difference between purchasing ownership rights versus acquiring limited licenses. As major game publishers shift away from physical media toward digital-only distribution, lawmakers in California, Maryland, New York, and other states are proposing legislation requiring clearer disclosures about what consumers actually receive when they click "buy."

New York City's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection has issued comprehensive guidance on its SHIELD Rule through a detailed FAQ, clarifying how the sweeping debt collection regulations will operate when they take effect January 1, 2027. The guidance addresses critical operational questions about contact limits, dispute procedures, verification requirements, and special protections for medical debt that go substantially beyond federal requirements. Companies collecting debts from New York City consu

The Seventh Circuit recently ruled that text messages do not qualify as "telephone calls" under Section 227(c) of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act's private right of action provision. This decision has significant implications for ongoing litigation involving Do Not Call violations stemming from texting campaigns, potentially reshaping how companies approach text-based marketing communications.