The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has scheduled an informal hearing to discuss a proposed amendment to its impersonation rule. The hearing is set for January 17, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. ET and will focus on banning the impersonation of individuals.

The FTC initially published a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking on April 1, 2024, in the Federal Register. This proposal aimed to amend the existing rule on government and business impersonation by including a prohibition against impersonating individuals and providing means for such impersonation. However, the Commission has decided not to pursue the provision regarding means and instrumentalities at this time. The upcoming hearing will address issues related specifically to prohibiting individual impersonation.

Nine commenters have requested to present their positions during the public webcast of the hearing. These parties include The Abundance Institute, Andreesen Horowitz, The Consumer Technology Association, the Software & Information Industry Association, TechFreedom, TechNet, the Electronic Privacy Information Center; The Internet & Television Association, and Truth in Advertising.

The decision to publish this notice was unanimously approved by a 5-0 vote from the Commission and will soon appear in the Federal Register.

The FTC's mission is to promote competition while protecting and educating consumers. It emphasizes that it will never demand money or make threats nor ask for money transfers or promise prizes. Consumers can learn more about various topics at consumer.ftc.gov or report fraudulent activities at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. For updates on consumer alerts and news from the FTC, individuals are encouraged to follow them on social media or subscribe to their communications.