FTC Launching Crackdown On Deceptive 'Fad' Ads

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The Federal Trade Commission next week is launching an initiative to crack down on deceptive advertising claims made for "fad" weight-loss products.

Weight loss and dietary supplements are high on the list of the FTC's deceptive marketing targets given the potential health threat.

According to the FTC's Consumer Protection Bureau, it is holding a press conference Jan. 7 to announce a new initiative against bogus claims for everything from food additives and dietary supplements to skin creams.

While the FTC has historically targeted the advertisers, it has also long advised media outlets to police advertisements for obviously spurious claims.

John Eggerton
John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.