United States: Social Media

Body-positive influencer and content creator Molly Tranchin, known online as “FashionVeggie,” filed a complaint on June 9, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against intimate apparel company EBY Inc., alleging that the company used artificial intelligence to alter and distribute an explicit version of her promotional content without her consent that raises important questions about the extent to which companies may modify creator content.

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin has launched an investigation into prediction market platforms like Kalshi, Polymarket, Coinbase, and Gemini Titan, examining their marketing practices targeting New Yorkers. The probe focuses on allegations of false and deceptive advertising tactics, particularly those directed at young adults, including undisclosed influencer marketing and fictitious depictions of profitable wagers.

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin has launched an investigation into prediction market platforms, examining their marketing and advertising practices targeting city residents. The inquiry focuses on potentially deceptive tactics used by platforms like Kalshi, Polymarket, Coinbase, and Gemini Titan, with particular concern for marketing directed at young people and allegations of undisclosed influencer marketing.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has unanimously ruled that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act does not shield Meta from state claims targeting Instagram's design features and deceptive marketing practices. This decision represents a significant shift in how courts interpret the scope of immunity for social media platforms, distinguishing between content-based claims and design-based liability. The ruling allows the Commonwealth's consumer protection lawsuit to proceed, potentially forcin

On June 24, 2026, in a non-precedential opinion, the Third Circuit revived claims asserted by Michael Huckabee, former Arkansas governor, regarding social media posts that improperly claimed...

Fitness apparel brand Gymshark faces a proposed class action lawsuit alleging it built its brand through an extensive influencer marketing network without adequately disclosing material connections between the company and social media creators.

Readers of this blog are well aware of the rise in consumer privacy litigation involving California Invasion of Privacy Act (“CIPA”) wiretap claims. Because CIPA is a broadly worded statute...

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an unprecedented enforcement campaign against major technology companies, filing multiple lawsuits and investigations within days targeting Netflix, Meta, WhatsApp, and Discord.

This newsletter compiles recent federal and state consumer protection enforcement actions, regulatory announcements, and advertising challenge decisions from May 2026. It covers FTC settlements involving subscription practices and investment training schemes, state actions against lease-to-own companies and data collection practices, and NAD recommendations for advertising claims.