15 U.S.C. §§ 41-58

Federal Trade Commission Act, Section 5

Statute — United States Federal
Effective: September 26, 1914 100 platforms tracked 7480 provisions indexed Enforced by: FTC Last reviewed May 9, 2026

Overview

Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce. It serves as the primary federal authority for consumer protection enforcement in the United States, covering privacy practices, data security, advertising claims, dark patterns, and AI-related representations. The FTC has used Section 5 to bring enforcement actions against companies for misleading privacy statements, inadequate data security, unauthorized data collection, and deceptive AI claims. It is the foundational consumer protection statute that applies across industries when no sector-specific law governs.

Penalties

Civil penalties up to $50,120 per violation (adjusted for inflation). Injunctive relief, consent orders, disgorgement of profits, and consumer redress.

Key Articles & Sections

Platforms We Track Subject to FTC Act Section 5

Recent Changes Related to FTC Act Section 5

ConductAtlas maps governance language to potentially relevant regulatory frameworks. Regulatory applicability and enforceability may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. This page is informational and does not constitute legal advice. Methodology

Provisions Governed by FTC Act Section 5 (7480 across 100 platforms)

Prohibition on Insurance Company and Employer Use 23andMe
Medium
DNA Relatives and Sharing Features Consent 23andMe
Medium
Telehealth and Medical Record Privacy Notice 23andMe
Medium
Sample Processing Failure and Refund Protocol 23andMe
Medium
Account Deletion Right 23andMe
Medium
No-Refund Policy 23andMe
Medium
Services Not Intended for Medical Diagnosis or Treatment Decisions 23andMe
Medium
Data Sharing with Third-Party Service Providers 23andMe
Medium
Terms Modification with Continued Use as Acceptance 23andMe
Medium
Age Restriction and Minimum Age Requirement 23andMe
Medium
CCPA Rights for California Residents 23andMe
Medium
Restriction on Insurance Companies and Employers 23andMe
Medium
Sample Storage Choice 23andMe
Medium
Genetic Data Research Use 23andMe
Medium
Indemnification by Users 23andMe
Medium
International Data Transfers 23andMe
Medium
Account Deletion and Sample Discard 23andMe
Medium
Intellectual Property License 23andMe
Medium
California Consumer Privacy Rights 23andMe
Medium
Sharing Features Participation (DNA Relatives and Connections) 23andMe
Medium
Telehealth Services and Separate Medical Record Privacy Notice 23andMe
Medium
Separate Medical Record Privacy Notice for Telehealth 23andMe
Medium
Behavioral Analytics and Tracking Technologies Acorns
Medium
Business Transfer Data Disclosure Acorns
Medium
California Consumer Privacy Rights Acorns
Medium
California Resident Privacy Rights Acorns
Medium
Incorporation by Reference of Product-Specific Agreements Acorns
Medium
Geolocation and Device Data Collection Acorns
Medium
User Indemnification Obligation Acorns
Medium
California Resident Privacy Rights (CCPA) Acorns
Medium

Showing 30 of 7480 provisions. View all →

Related Regulations

Official Source

View official regulation text →

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does FTC Act Section 5 require?

Which platforms does FTC Act Section 5 apply to?

ConductAtlas tracks FTC Act Section 5-relevant provisions across 100 platforms. Each platform's specific provisions are classified by severity and mapped to FTC Act Section 5 requirements.

How does ConductAtlas monitor FTC Act Section 5 compliance?

ConductAtlas captures policy documents daily, classifies provisions by regulatory framework, and flags changes that affect FTC Act Section 5 obligations. Every change is archived with cryptographic verification.