Federal laws and regulations affect many areas of online business, marketing, advertising, privacy, data practices, and consumer communications. Understanding which federal requirements may apply is an important starting point for building an effective compliance program.
CLIClaw‘s Federal Compliance Requirements Library organizes federal statutes, regulations, agency guidance, enforcement materials, and other government resources by compliance topic so organizations can more easily research the requirements relevant to their activities.
Select a category below to explore federal laws and regulatory resources for that compliance area.
Advertising
- Affiliate Marketing Rule in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (16 CFR Part 680) (2021)
- Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016 (“CRFA”) (15 U.S.C. § 45b)
- Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (16 C.F.R. Part 500)
- FTC Amends Fair Packaging and Labeling Act Rule (September 28, 2015)
- FTC Announced a Coronavirus (COVID-19) Crackdown (April 14, 2020)
Business Opportunity Marketing ("Biz Opp")
- Business Opportunity Rule (16 CFR Part 437) (December 8, 2011)
- Franchise Rule (16 CFR Parts 436 and 437)
- FTC Adjusts Monetary Thresholds for Three Exemptions in Franchise Rule (June 3, 2020)
- FTC Amends Trade Regulation Rule- Disclosure Requirements and Prohibitions Concerning Franchising and Business Opportunity Ventures (March 30, 2007)
- FTC Guide Advertising and Marketing on the Internet- The Rules of the Road (December 2000)
Children's Online Privacy
- Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (15 U.S.C. §§ 6501-6506) (October 21, 1998)
- Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (16 CFR Part 312) (January 17, 2013)
- FTC Approves iKeepSafe COPPA “Safe Harbor” Oversight Program (August 6, 2014)
- FTC Guide Advertising and Marketing on the Internet- The Rules of the Road (December 2000)
- FTC Issued a Report for Second Kids’ App Report Finds Little Progress in Addressing Privacy Concerns Surrounding Mobile Applications for Children (December 10, 2012)
Code of Federal Regulations
- Affiliate Marketing Rule in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (16 CFR Part 680) (2021)
- Business Opportunity Rule (16 CFR Part 437) (December 8, 2011)
- CAN-SPAM Rule (16 CFR Part 316) (May 21, 2008)
- Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (16 CFR Part 312) (January 17, 2013)
- Disposal of Consumer Report Information and Records; Confirmation of Rule (16 CFR Part 682) (November 15, 2017)
Copyright / Trademark
- Amendments to the Copyright Act as a Result of the Orrin G. Hatch-Bob Goodlatte Music Modernization Act
- Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (“ACPA”) (15 U.S.C. § 1125(D))
- Copyright Office Rulemaking Proceedings Under Section 1201 of Title 17
- Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act
- Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act of 2008
Credit
- Affiliate Marketing Rule in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (16 CFR Part 680) (2021)
- Consumer Leasing Act (15 U.S.C. §§ 1667-1667f)
- Disposal of Consumer Report Information and Records; Confirmation of Rule (16 CFR Part 682) (November 15, 2017)
- Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Titles X and XIV
- Electronic Fund Transfer Act (“EFTA”) (15 USC 1693 et seq.)
Data Breach
- FTC Amended the Privacy of Consumer Financial Information Rule under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (16 CFR Part 313) (December 9, 2021)
- FTC Issued a Final Rule for Health Breach Notification Rule (16 CFR Part 318) (August 2009)
- FTC Released a Guide Businesses Must Provide Victims and Law Enforcement with Transaction Records Relating to Identity Theft (May 2017)
- FTC Released a Guide Complying with the FTC’s Health Breach Notification Rule (January 2022)
- FTC Released a Guide Data Breach Response- A Guide for Business (April 2019)
Data Security
- Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (“ACPA”) (15 U.S.C. § 1125(D))
- Communications Act of 1934 Customer Proprietary Network Information Provisions (47 U.S.C. § 222)
- Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1984 (“CFAA”) (18 USC § 1030)
- FTC Released a Guide Businesses Must Provide Victims and Law Enforcement with Transaction Records Relating to Identity Theft (May 2017)
- FTC Released a Guide Buying or Selling Debts- Steps for Keeping Data Secure (April 2015)
Debt
- Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (15 USC §§ 1692-1692p)
- FTC Released a Guide Buying or Selling Debts- Steps for Keeping Data Secure (April 2015)
- The CFPB Released the Interim Final Rule for Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Regulation F
- The FTC Issued Enforcement Policy Statement on New Debt Relief Rule in the Telemarketing Sales Rule (October 27, 2010)
- The FTC Released a Guide for Debt Relief Services & the Telemarketing Sales Rule: A Guide for Business (July 2010)
Disclosures
- FTC Guide Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers (November 2019)
- FTC Released a Guide Big Print Little Print What’s the Big Deal- How to Disclose Details (June 2000)
- FTC Released a Guide for .com Disclosures: Advertising Disclosures- Repetition (March 2013)
- FTC Released a Guide for .com Disclosures: Distracting Factors in Ads (March 2013)
- FTC Released a Guide for .com Disclosures: Evaluating Proximity in Space-Constrained Ads (March 2013)
DMCA ("The Digital Millennium Copyright Act")
- Amendments to the Copyright Act as a Result of the Orrin G. Hatch-Bob Goodlatte Music Modernization Act
- Copyright Office Rulemaking Proceedings Under Section 1201 of Title 17
- Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act
- Resources on Online Service Provider Safe Harbors and Notice-and-Takedown System (Section 512 of Title 17)
- The Copyright Office Released a Report for Authors, Attribution, and Integrity: Examining Moral Rights in the United States
Email Marketing
- Affiliate Marketing Rule in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (16 CFR Part 680) (2021)
- CAN-SPAM Act (“Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003”) (15 U.S.C §§ 7701-7713)
- CAN-SPAM Rule (16 CFR Part 316) (May 21, 2008)
- Final Rule for Definitions and Implementation Under the CAN-SPAM Act (16 CFR Part 316) (May 21, 2008)
- FTC Approves New Rule Provision Under The CAN-SPAM Act (May 12, 2008)
Endorsements / Testimonials
- Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016 (15 U.S.C. § 45b)
- FTC Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking (June 2023)
- FTC Guide Advertising and Marketing on the Internet- The Rules of the Road (December 2000)
- FTC Guide Advertising FAQ’s: A Guide for Small Business (2001)
- FTC Guide Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (October 15, 2009)
Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") Laws & Resources
- Affiliate Marketing Rule in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (16 CFR Part 680) (2021)
- CAN-SPAM Rule (16 CFR Part 316) (May 21, 2008)
- Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (15 U.S.C. §§ 6501-6506) (October 21, 1998)
- Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016 (“CRFA”) (15 U.S.C. § 45b)
- Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016 (15 U.S.C. § 45b)
Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act (“GLBA”)
- FTC Released a Guide Complying with the Safeguards Rule (April 2006)
- FTC Released a Guide How To Comply with the Privacy of Consumer Financial Information Rule of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (July 2002)
- Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (“GLBA”) (15 U.S.C. §§ 6801-6809, §§ 6821-6827)
- Privacy of Consumer Financial Information; Final Rule (16 CFR Part 313)
- SEC Released a Guide for Final Model Privacy Form under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (April 15, 2010)
HIPAA / Health Privacy
- FTC Issued a Final Rule for Health Breach Notification Rule (16 CFR Part 318) (August 2009)
- FTC Released a Guide Complying with the FTC’s Health Breach Notification Rule (January 2022)
- FTC Released a Guide Mobile Health App Developers: FTC Best Practices (April 2016)
- Health Breach Notification Rule (16 CFR Part 318) (May 30, 2024)
- Health Information Technology (“HITECH”) Provisions of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Title XIII, Subtitle D (42 U.S.C. § 17937 and 17953)
Mail, Internet, and Telephone Order Rule ("Mail Order Rule")
- Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (16 C.F.R. Part 500)
- FTC Guide Advertising and Marketing on the Internet- The Rules of the Road (December 2000)
- FTC Guide Advertising FAQ’s: A Guide for Small Business (2001)
- Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule (16 CFR Part 435) (September 17, 2014)
- The FTC Released a Guide for Selling on the Internet: Prompt Delivery Rules
Mortgage
- FTC Amended the Privacy of Consumer Financial Information Rule under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (16 CFR Part 313) (December 9, 2021)
- FTC Issues New Rule Strengthening Consumer Protections Against Deceptive Mortgage Advertisements (July 19, 2011)
- FTC Proposed Rule to Ban Deceptive Mortgage Ads (September 22, 2010)
- Mortgage Acts and Practices-Advertising (Regulation N)
- Mortgage Acts and Practices—Advertising Rule (16 CFR Part 321)
Negative Option Marketing
- FTC Announced they Will Keep Negative Option Rule In Its Current Form (July 25, 2014)
- FTC Business Blog Acc-cen-tuate the negative? (July 29, 2014)
- FTC Guide Advertising and Marketing on the Internet- The Rules of the Road (December 2000)
- FTC Issued an Enforcement Policy Statement Regarding Negative Option Marketing (October 28, 2021)
- FTC Released an Article Negative options – make them a positive (September 22, 2016)
Nutritional Products
- FTC Announced a Coronavirus (COVID-19) Crackdown (April 14, 2020)
- FTC Announces New Business Guidance for Marketers and Sellers of Health Products (2022)
- FTC Released a Guide Dietary Supplements: An Advertising Guide for Industry (April 2001)
- FTC Released a Guide Health Products Compliance Guidance (December 2022)
- FTC Released a Guide Voluntary Guidelines for Providers of Weight Loss Products or Services (February 1999)
Payday Lending
- FTC Amended the Privacy of Consumer Financial Information Rule under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (16 CFR Part 313) (December 9, 2021)
- FTC Updates Rule that Strengthens Security Safeguards for Consumer Financial Information Following Widespread Data Breaches (October 27, 2021)
- Standards for Safeguarding Customer Information (Final Rule) (16 CFR Part 314) (2021)
- The CFPB Issued a Final Rule for Payday, Vehicle Title, and Certain High-Cost Installment Loans (October 4, 2017)
- The CFPB Issued the Short-term, Small-dollar Lending (payday) Examination Procedures
Privacy
- American Data Privacy and Protection Act (Proposed 2022)
- Communications Act of 1934 Customer Proprietary Network Information Provisions (47 U.S.C. § 222)
- Communications Decency Act of 1995 (“CDA”) (47 U.S.C. § 230)
- Disclosure of Nonpublic Personal Information (15 USC § 6801 – § 6827) (1999)
- Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 (“ECPA”) (18 U.S.C. § 2510-2523)
Telemarketing / SMS
- Communications Act of 1934 (47 USC § 609)
- Communications Act of 1934 Customer Proprietary Network Information Provisions (47 U.S.C. § 222)
- FTC Guide Advertising FAQ’s: A Guide for Small Business (2001)
- FTC, Law Enforcers Nationwide Announce Enforcement Sweep to Stem the Tide of Illegal Telemarketing Calls to U.S. Consumers (July 18, 2023)
- Junk Fax Prevention Act of 2005 (“JFPA”)
Warranty
- Final Rule Amendments Related to the E-Warranty Act (16 CFR Parts 701 and 702)
- FTC Guide Advertising and Marketing on the Internet- The Rules of the Road (December 2000)
- FTC Issued Final Rule Amendments Related to the E-Warranty Act (September 6, 2016)
- FTC Released a Guide – A Businessperson’s Guide to Federal Warranty Law (December 2006)
- FTC Staff Warns Companies that It Is Illegal to Condition Warranty Coverage on the Use of Specified Parts or Services (April 10, 2018)