Washington, D.C.—A coalition of marketing and business associations has appealed to Senate leaders to cut from the pending finance regulatory bill an expansion of Federal Trade Commission rule-making powers that would regulate marketing messages.
In a letter sent Thursday to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the coalition—which includes the Direct Marketing Association, American Advertising Federation, American Association of Advertising Agencies, American Business Media and Interactive Advertising Bureau—expressed opposition to provisions in the proposed Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009 that would grant the FTC the power to impose civil penalties on companies that engage in what it considers “unfair” or “deceptive” marketing practices.
Currently, the FTC can flag such practices, but must undergo congressional review and request public testimony before penalties can be imposed.
