At the annual ABA Antitrust Section meeting one of the highlights of the last day is the breakfast with the FTC Bureau Directors.  Acting BCP Director Chuck Harwood detailed the priorities of his bureau.  Chairwoman Ramirez will be selecting the new bureau directors and if there is a new BCP head these priorities, of course, could change.  However, we would be surprised to see any dramatic changes.

Chuck said his top three enforcement priorities are (1) preventing scams and fraud (2) protecting consumers on the electronic marketplace including protection from identify theft and (3) with regard to advertising, policing advertising of unfair and overhyped health claims by dietary supplement and food marketers.  He then said he had two additional priorities — monitoring telemarketing activities and green or environmental claims.

The FTC also released today a report detailing its accomplishments in the last 12 months — a report it issues every year during the ABA Antitrust Section Spring Meeting.  On the consumer protection side the FTC highlighted its efforts to protect consumer privacy, protect kids online and ensure adequate claim substantiation.