Washington, D.C. — Following a Federal Trade Commission Open Commission meeting where the Commission voted to crack down on junk fees and fraudulent reviews, while promoting transparency in funeral sales itemization, the American Economic Liberties Project released the following statement.

“With today’s votes, the FTC is showing once again that it will not stand by when powerful corporations cheat or deceive consumers,” said Sarah Miller, Executive Director of the American Economic Liberties Project. “By working to eliminate junk fees, crack down on fake reviews, and stop funeral homes from taking advantage of grieving families through opaque online pricing, the FTC is building an economy that is transparent, fair and just.”

At the Federal Trade Commission’s open meeting today, Commissioners voted to advance three separate Advanced Notices of Proposed Rulemakings. The actions include initiating a rulemaking proceeding to address junk fees that are charged that have little or no added value to the consumer, limit the use of fake reviews and other fraudulent endorsements, and to retain and seek comments on potential updates to modernize the Funeral Industry Practices Rule for online shopping.

Learn more about Economic Liberties here.

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The American Economic Liberties Project works to ensure America’s system of commerce is structured to advance, rather than undermine, economic liberty, fair commerce, and a secure, inclusive democracy. Economic Liberties believes true economic liberty means entrepreneurs and businesses large and small succeed on the merits of their ideas and hard work; commerce empowers consumers, workers, farmers, and engineers instead of subjecting them to discrimination and abuse from financiers and monopolists; foreign trade arrangements support domestic security and democracy; and wealth is broadly distributed to support equitable political power.