“When Congress created the FTC, it clearly commanded us to crack down on unfair methods of competition.”
– Lina Khan, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair
The Federal Trade Commission took an important step toward restoring the agency’s “rigorous enforcement” of federal law banning “unfair methods of competition” that hurt consumer choice and raise prices.
In a new policy statement, FTC notes it plans to “exercise its full statutory authority” against anticompetitive market behavior – specifically pointing to patent misuse as a regulatory process that “can create or exploit impediments to competition.”
Building on the FTC’s “Nixing the Fix” report, the move comes as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are increasingly relying on anticompetitive tactics, like patent misuse and data restrictions, to steer more business to their repair networks. These practices ultimately make it tougher (and more costly) for consumers to repair the products they’ve purchased, including cars.
Greater regulatory enforcement and new legislative solutions are critical to protecting consumer choice and upholding the right to repair. Get involved today!