United States: Publishing

The Federal Trade Commission has found new ways to impose substantial monetary penalties on companies despite a 2021 Supreme Court ruling that eliminated its primary enforcement tool. Two recent settlements totaling over $5 million demonstrate how the agency is leveraging alternative provisions of the FTC Act to pursue civil penalties for consumer protection violations, particularly those involving deceptive marketing practices and fake reviews.

Legal issues for self publishing authors often bring unexpected problems amidst the creative freedom that makes self-publishing so appealing.

In April, State Farm debuted a commercial that appeared to feature footage from 1998 of ESPN's Kenny Mayne making startlingly, even eerily, accurate predictions.