The April 24 informal hearing will be open to the public.
04/22/2024 2:30 P.M.
1.5 minute read
The Federal Trade Commission will hold a virtual informal hearing on April 24, 2024, on its proposed rule on unfair or deceptive fees, commonly known as “junk fees,” according to a recent press release.
During the hearing, which will be open to the public and viewable on the FTC’s website, interested organizations will have the opportunity to provide oral statements.
On Oct. 11, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission announced a proposed rule to prohibit “junk fees.’
The proposed rule “would prohibit unfair or deceptive practices relating to fees for goods or services, specifically, misrepresenting the total costs of goods and services by omitting mandatory fees from advertised prices and misrepresenting the nature and purpose of fees,” according to the FTC’s Federal Register notice.
The proposed rule also includes enforcement authority for the FTC to secure refunds for consumers and pursue monetary penalties against companies that do not comply with the regulation, according to a news release from the FTC.
In addition, the proposed rule would require all businesses to quote total prices at the start of the purchasing process and remove false or misleading information about fees from the marketplace.
In response to the proposed rulemaking, 17 commenters requested to present their positions at an informal hearing. The Federal Register notice states that these entities will be entitled to make oral presentations at the hearing on April 24, 2024.
Oral statements at the event will be limited to 15 minutes each. These organizations, however, may also submit written documents to the FTC within 14 days after publication of the notice in the Federal Register.
The hearing will be conducted virtually, starting at 10 a.m. ET, and Administrative Law Judge Jay L. Himes has been appointed to preside over the event. The link to the hearing webcast will be posted shortly before the date of the event on the FTC’s website.
The commission vote approving publication of the notice was 3-0.
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