Compliance & Ethics

Ireland’s Communications Regulator Tightens Rules on Complaint Handling for Telecom & Internet Providers

Ireland’s Commission for Communications Regulation, better known as ComReg, has moved to sharpen consumer protections by revising the minimum standards for how telecom and internet providers deal with complaints. The regulator said the goal is to remove the ambiguity that customers, both individuals and businesses, often face when raising issues with their providers.

Brussels Hits Google with €2.95 Billion Fine for Adtech Abuses

Google’s grip on the pipes of online advertising has landed it in hot water once again. The European Commission has slapped the tech giant with a €2.95 billion ($3.2 billion) fine for tilting the adtech playing field in its own favor, an antitrust ruling that could reshape how digital ads are bought and sold across Europe.

Federal Reserve Orders Société Générale to Strengthen U.S. Compliance Oversight Amid Global Scrutiny

The Federal Reserve has directed Société Générale to overhaul its compliance operations in the United States, entering into a Written Agreement with the French bank and its New York branch after years of shortcomings in risk oversight and affiliate transaction controls.

FTC Orders Gateway Services to End Noncompetes & Launches Public Inquiry

The Federal Trade Commission has taken aim at restrictive labor practices, ordering Gateway Services, the nation’s largest pet cremation company, to end its use of noncompete agreements that bound nearly 1,800 workers across the United States.

CNIL Fines Google €325 Million & Shein €150 Million in Ongoing Crackdown on Cookie Violations

France’s data protection watchdog has once again flexed its regulatory muscle, imposing large fines on two global giants, Google and Shein, for failing to comply with rules governing the use of cookies and online advertising practices. The Commission nationale de l'informatique et des libertés (CNIL) announced on September 1 that it had fined Google €325 million ($357 million) and Shein €150 million ($165 million), underscoring its determination to rein in non-compliant tracking practices under its long-running enforcement plan.

Adult Website Operators Face FTC & Utah Crackdown Over Failure to Block Child Exploitation Content

The operators of Pornhub and a network of more than 100 adult websites are facing legal action from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the state of Utah, accused of deceiving consumers while profiting from some of the internet’s most exploitative content.

Fracht Pays $1.61 Million for Venezuela & Iran Sanctions Violations, OFAC Says

The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has fined Houston-based freight forwarder Fracht $1,610,775 after finding the company violated multiple sanctions programs tied to Venezuela and Iran. Regulators said the violations were egregious and not voluntarily self-disclosed, though Fracht ultimately cooperated and has since overhauled its compliance program.