The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) just announced a record-breaking $2.5 billion settlement with Amazon that requires the company to change its practices by paying $1 billion in civil penalties, refunding $1.5 billion to consumers, and ending deceptive enrollment and cancellation practices for Prime.

TCPA compliance is under intense scrutiny in 2025, with the FTC and state regulators cracking down on lead generation practices and consent management. Join our webinar with Contact Center Compliance and Tammy Glover Fowler to learn practical strategies to stay compliant and protect your business.

Maryland just added another square to the patchwork quilt of state laws with the Maryland Online Data Privacy Act (MODPA), which takes effect October 1, 2025. If you sell to Marylanders, advertise there, or have users signing up from Maryland, this law just landed on your compliance roadmap.

Three states just sent a clear message to businesses: honor consumer privacy rights or expect an investigation. On September 9, California, Colorado, and Connecticut announced a coordinated privacy sweep targeting companies that are ignoring requests to stop selling or sharing personal data.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) just announced new fees for telemarketers accessing the National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry. The updated fees, which take effect October 1, 2025, are going up slightly. But here is the bigger point: not every business is actually required to purchase access to these lists in the first place.

While Texas is making headlines, the reality is that many other states also require businesses to register before making telemarketing calls. There is no federal registration requirement, but state rules fill that gap and ignoring them can mean fines, investigations, or worse.

Two courts. One message. Post-McLaughlin, some judges are making it clear: text messages are not “telephone calls” under the TCPA. In Davis v. CVS Pharmacy, Inc., No. 4:24-cv-477-AW-MAF, 2025 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 167366 (N.D. Fla. Aug. 26, 2025), the plaintiff claimed CVS Pharmacy sent him two unsolicited texts while his number was on the National Do Not Call Registry. But he didn’t allege a single call.

While Texas already prohibits the use of an “automated dial announcing device” (ADAD) to make a sales call without consent, starting September 1, SB 140 expands its telemarketing rules, creating a new private right of action under the Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA), broadening definitions, and increasing penalties for violations.

With Hurricane Erin making landfall on the East Coast today, many businesses are scrambling to adjust operations. One area that often gets overlooked during natural disasters is telemarketing compliance. In some states, it’s actually illegal to make certain sales calls during a declared state of emergency.

If you’re like most people, your cell phone is glued to your side 24/7. But does the TCPA’s protection for “residential telephone subscribers” apply to cell phones? Before the Supreme Court’s recent decision in McLaughlin Chiropractic Assocs., Inc. v. McKesson Corp., 606 U.S. 146 (2025), the answer was clear. Now, courts are being forced to take another look.

The Federal Trade Commission has made it clear: “A priority at the FTC is coherently and systematically addressing unlawful lead generation. Businesses should know the FTC will take action when lead generators break the law, engage in unlawful deception, and harm the American people.”

Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Jim Justice (R-WV) introduced the Keep Call Centers in America Act, a bipartisan bill designed to discourage companies from sending customer service jobs overseas. If your business operates a call center or contracts with third parties to handle customer support, this bill may soon affect your eligibility for federal funds, contracts, and more.

You walk into a coffee shop, give your phone number to get a free drink, and shortly after, your phone buzzes with a welcome text and a hyperlink to some terms. Weeks later, you file a lawsuit under the TCPA, only to be told your claims must go to arbitration.

With primaries heating up and the fall general election just around the corner, your phone is likely lighting up with political texts—requests for donations, reminders to vote, or messages promoting a particular candidate. While some people may find these messages informative, many consider them annoying. But are they actually illegal?

A federal court has ruled that the National Do Not Call Registry does not apply to texts. In Jones v. Blackstone Medical Services, LLC, No. 1:24-cv-01074-JEH-RLH, 2025 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 138371 (C.D. Ill. July 21, 2025), the court held that the “do-not-call” provision of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) applies only to phone calls and not texts.

A new court ruling says you can be sued just for leaving your company name out of a text. Yes, really. In Newell v. JR Capital LLC, No. 25-1419 (E.D. Pa. July 16, 2025), a judge held that a consumer could sue under the TCPA because the company sent five marketing texts that didn’t include its name.

If you want to avoid a TCPA class action, start with two simple rules. First, hire a lawyer who focuses on TCPA and telemarketing compliance from the start. Second, don’t use a prerecorded voice. That choice puts the burden on you to prove prior express written consent for marketing calls, a standard many companies can’t meet cleanly. If you’re using prerecorded messages without airtight documentation, you’re making yourself a target.

Texas has officially joined the wave of states trying to wrangle artificial intelligence. On June 22, 2025, the Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act (TRAIGA) was signed into law and takes effect January 1, 2026. It’s a big step toward regulating how AI is developed and used in Texas, especially by government agencies.

You may be out of the office, but regulators aren't taking time off. July brings key compliance deadlines every business should be tracking. Tennessee’s privacy law took effect July 1, giving consumers data rights. Minnesota’s privacy law follows on July 31.

On July 1, Bonta announced a $1.55 million settlement with Healthline Media, one of the world’s top health websites, over allegations it shared sensitive user data without proper consent. The site reportedly used tracking tools to pass along information, including content suggesting medical conditions, while ignoring consumer opt-out rights.