Oscar Gonzalez
Oscar Gonzalez is a freelance writer and editor who covers tech, misinformation, business, and the stock market. He's written for Gizmodo, CNET, TheStreet, CBS, and NBC.
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News BriefFTC orders AI firms to disclose safeguards for children and teens
AI chatbots are increasingly used by children and teens, prompting the FTC to order seven AI companies to explain how they monitor potential harms to minors.
News BriefDOJ sues Uber over alleged discrimination against disabled riders
The DOJ sued Uber Thursday, alleging it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by denying people with disabilities equal access to its services.
News BriefFreight forwarder fined $1.6M after using OFAC-blocked Venezuelan, Iranian carriers
A Houston-based freight forwarder, Fracht FWO Inc., will pay $1.6 million for violating U.S. sanctions tied to Venezuela and Iran, according to the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The fine comes as OFAC ramps up enforcement in recent months.
News BriefFTC ends appeal over noncompete ban but seeks public input
The FTC officially withdrew its appeal in a federal court case over its ban on employer noncompete clauses that it passed last year. The agency, however, says it wants public input regarding the effects of employer noncompete agreements.
News BriefFederal Reserve Governor sues Trump over attempted removal
President Donald Trump announced he would fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook on Monday. On Thursday, Cook filed a lawsuit claiming Trump cannot remove her from office and is violating federal law.
ArticleCFPB makes move to stake a claim against bankrupt Synapse, the fintech software company
Synapse Financial Technologies, the troubled California fintech software provider, has agreed to let the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) eventually file a claim on its bankrupt estate.
News BriefFTC complaint accuses LA Fitness parent companies of blocking easy membership exits
The Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint against LA Fitness’ parent companies, citing difficulties canceling memberships, a month after a court blocked the agency’s click-to-cancel rule.
News BriefSEC charges duo in $275 million water vending machine Ponzi scheme
The owner of a water machine vending company and a portfolio manager were allegedly behind a Ponzi-like scheme that raised more than $275 million, according to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
News BriefEPA relaunches online portal for thousands of environmental guidance documents
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reopened its guidance portal on Wednesday. This online portal is a searchable database of EPA guidance documents, first created during President Donald Trump’s first term and shuttered under the Biden administration.
News BriefDOJ declines to prosecute Liberty Mutual in $4.7M FCPA bribery case
Liberty Mutual agreed to give up $4.7 million in profit – the amount it earned from a bribery scheme uncovered by the government – as part of a settlement related to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, according to a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice.
News BriefMore federal whistleblowers come forward amid government layoffs
As the Trump administration continues to reduce the number of workers at multiple federal agencies, there has been a record number of whistleblowers coming forward.
News BriefCFPB could run out of money by fall, report says
The Trump administration declawed the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from the very beginning of his second term. It now appears the agency might be running out of money.
News BriefSEC’s Crypto Task Force hits the road with nationwide roundtables
The Securities and Exchange Commission is taking its pro-crypto messaging on the road, planning a series of events for its Crypto Task Force that will be held across the U.S. starting on Aug. 4.
News BriefTrump DOJ fires two antitrust officials amid broader regulatory pullback
The Department of Justice fired two officials who were part of its antitrust division on Monday. The move, reported by CBS News, marks the latest effort from the Trump administration to ease regulations for companies and rollback of antitrust enforcement.
News BriefTrump’s firing of FTC commissioner violated federal law, court finds
The firing of a Democrat commissioner of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission by President Donald Trump was illegal, according to a federal judge’s ruling last week.
News BriefTrump-era deregulation cuts OSHA enforcement powers on workplace hazards
The U.S. Department of Labor scaled back OSHA penalties for small businesses and limited use of the general duty clause as part of the Trump administration’s deregulation agenda.
News BriefDelta to pay $8.1 million over False Claims Act violations tied to pandemic aid
Delta Air Lines agreed to pay $8.1 million over allegations it violated the False Claims Act by exceeding employee compensation limits it agreed to when taking federal pandemic aid money.
News BriefDOJ and CFTC close investigations into crypto betting platform Polymarket, report says
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) reportedly ended two investigations into Polymarket, a popular online crypto betting service that calls itself a “prediction market.” The move continues the Trump administration’s pro-crypt agenda.
News BriefFTC fines telehealth firm over deceptive weight-loss claims and fake reviews
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said it has settled with telemedicine service Southern Health Solutions, Inc. over allegations the company used deceptive pricing and weight-loss claims, along with fake reviews and testimonials, to sell its weight-loss programs.
News BriefDOJ clears $4.4 Billion T‑Mobile acquisition of UScellular
The U.S. Department of Justice arppoved T-Mobile’s acquisition of competitor UScellular. The move came a day after T-Mobile announced it had dropped its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, a frequent target for Trump’s administration.