The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has published its Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Report, providing an overview of the agency's efforts to safeguard consumers and foster competition. FTC Chair Lina M. Khan emphasized the organization's commitment to ensuring that American consumers, workers, and entrepreneurs can benefit from fair and free markets.
"As detailed in this report, the work of our talented and dedicated staff in FY 2023 made Americans’ lives better in meaningful and material ways—from safeguarding people’s access to affordable healthcare to protecting people’s sensitive data from unchecked surveillance," said Khan.
The report highlights the FTC's proactive enforcement of antitrust and consumer protection laws amidst a rapidly evolving economy. With the rise of artificial intelligence and algorithmic decision-making tools, the FTC's enforcement and policy initiatives have been forward-looking, allowing the agency to stay abreast of these technological advancements.
In FY 2023, significant progress was made by the FTC in protecting Americans' privacy—particularly that of children—and holding companies accountable for fraudulent practices. The agency also worked tirelessly to prevent businesses from increasing prices through unnecessary junk fees, shut down deceptive subscription practices, ensure no AI exemption for existing laws, and promote fair competition among domestic manufacturers, independent repairers, and other small businesses.
Key actions taken by the FTC in FY 2023 included filing a lawsuit against Amazon for enrolling consumers into its Prime program without their consent; launching the largest telemarketing sweep in U.S. history targeting illegal robocall operations; suing owners of a scheme claiming to use artificial intelligence to boost earnings for consumers’ e-commerce storefronts; and taking several actions to protect Americans' privacy against violations by major corporations such as Amazon, Microsoft, BetterHelp, Premom app maker, and Ring.
The FTC also leveraged its resources to obstruct anticompetitive mergers, halt monopolistic practices, and deter businesses from employing unfair tactics for competitive advantage. The agency's enforcement work was complemented by efforts to update U.S. federal enforcers’ merger policy to reflect market realities and assist courts in developing and clarifying the law through amicus briefs.
Furthermore, the FTC continued to prioritize engagement with Americans across the country through Open Commission Meetings, comment dockets, public workshops, and listening forums.
The Federal Trade Commission is dedicated to promoting competition and protecting and educating consumers. More information about consumer topics can be found on ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
