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The Federal Trade Commission said Friday that it is suing three drug middlemen, accusing them of inflating insulin prices. PBMs work with insurance companies to negotiate discounted prices from drug companies in exchange for including the drugs in their coverage. The drug was priced at $274 in 2017, as a result of the PBMs rebate system strategy, the FTC said. In July, Democratic and Republican lawmakers blamed executives from Caremark, Express Scripts and Optum Rx for sky-high prescription drug prices in the U.S. during an oversight committee hearing. The lawsuit also comes as states — most recently Vermont — have sued PBMs, alleging they drive up drug costs.

Persons: Cigna, Eli Lilly, Rahul Rao, It’s, Raja Krishnamoorthi, PBMs Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, FTC, CVS, Cigna's, Zinc Health, Ascent Health, Emisar Pharma Services, UnitedHealth, CVS Health, Novo Nordisk, Democratic, Republican, Caremark, New York Times, Republicans, ” Rep Locations: U.S, FTC’s, Vermont

But many people are still wondering, what does a rate cut mean for my money? For those who’ve been waiting it out, the rate cut “will instill some hope in folks,” said Elizabeth Renter, senior economist at NerdWallet. Consider your (improved) debt repayment optionsThis week’s rate cut was good news for those struggling to unload themselves of credit card debt. They’re a popular savings instrument when interest rates are high, and as most economists expected, CD rates have already started declining since the Fed’s interest rate cut. “This rate cut is not something that should trigger you to go make any drastic changes to the overall direction of your portfolio,” he added.

Persons: Jerome Powell, ”, Elizabeth Renter, Michele Raneri, “, “ It’s, Rodney Lake, It’s, cardholders, Now’s, Lake, don’t, Freddie Mac, ” Renter, they’ve, Raneri, Lee Baker, there’s, Bankrate, Baker, it’s, —, “ Don’t Organizations: NerdWallet, TransUnion, Federal Trade Commission, GW Investment, George Washington University School of Business, Apex Financial Services, P Locations: U.S

☆ Up to $400 to change a lightbulb? Appliance repair costs are no joke
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( Stephanie Dhue | Stephanie-Dhue | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

It sounds like the setup to a lightbulb joke: How much does it cost to change a microwave bulb? While my lightbulb situation may be somewhat unique, experts say it is not uncommon to learn the cost of repairs is more than the cost to replace an appliance. Figuring out the cost for a repairMy first call to repair our microwave was to the appliance store where I made the purchase. Several states — including California, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota and New York — have implemented so-called "right to repair" laws. Some products designed 'with a hostility to repair'Consumer advocates say state laws and the FTC actions help, but haven't solved the problem.

Persons: Stephanie Dhue's, Stephanie Dhue, Gay Gordon, Byrne, Gordon, they're, Nathan Proctor, we've, Alex Reinauer, Proctor Organizations: GE, GE Appliances, U.S ., Getty Images, Federal Trade Commission, Competitive Enterprise Institute, Consumer, FTC Locations: California , Maine , Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Colorado, Oregon, South Dakota, France

Qualcomm recently approached struggling chipmaker Intel about a takeover, CNBC has confirmed. Intel shares initially popped on the news before closing up about 3%, while Qualcomm shares fell about 3% at the close. Intel shares are down 53% this year as investors express doubts about the company's costly plans to manufacture and design chips. Intel has also missed out on the artificial intelligence boom that's captured the attention of Wall Street. Intel was unsuccessful with its attempted acquisition of Tower Semiconductor, as was Qualcomm in its bid to acquire NXP Semiconductor.

Persons: Patrick Gelsinger, Trump Organizations: Qualcomm, Intel, CNBC, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Samsung, Nvidia, Tower Semiconductor, NXP Semiconductor, Broadcom, Federal Trade Commission Locations: China, Singapore, Europe, Asia

☆ FTC sues drug middlemen for allegedly inflating insulin prices
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Federal Trade Commission on Friday sued three large U.S. health companies that negotiate insulin prices, arguing the drug middlemen use practices that boost their profits while "artificially" inflating costs for patients. It comes three days after Express Scripts sued the FTC, demanding that the agency retract its allegedly "defamatory" July report that claimed that the PBM industry is hiking drug prices. It also alleges that PBMs favor those high-list-price insulins even when more affordable insulins with lower list prices become available. President Joe Biden's signature Inflation Reduction Act has capped insulin prices for Medicare beneficiaries at $35 per month. The FTC said it remains "deeply troubled" by the role insulin manufacturers play in higher list prices, arguing that they inflate prices in response to PBMs' demands for higher rebates.

Persons: Lina Khan, UnitedHealth, drugmakers Eli Lilly, Caremark, PBMs, Rahul Rao, Rao, Joe Biden's, Biden, Eli Lilly, Eli Lilly's Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, CVS, Cigna's, FTC, Sanofi, Novo Nordisk, Express, Competition Locations: Rayburn, Washington ,, U.S, drugmakers, FTC's

Users also “lacked any meaningful control over how personal information was used for AI-fueled systems” on the companies’ platforms, according to the report. The report includes staff recommendations calling for federal privacy legislation, as well as more efforts from companies to prioritize privacy in their data collection and recommendation systems. "Protecting users – especially children and teens – requires clear baseline protections that apply across the board," the FTC said in the report. The privacy of children and teens were not adequately protected on these social media platforms and streaming services, according to the report. However, children and teens are known to be on social media, and the FTC wrote that companies "should not ignore this reality."

Persons: Lina Khan, –, Twitch, Kate Sheerin, Sheerin Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, Committee, Energy, Commerce, FTC, Amazon, Facebook, Meta, Twitter, YouTube, COPPA Locations: Canada

☆ Companies without cyber insurance could be making a costly mistake
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Erica Sweeney | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Many companies don't have cyber insurance because of costs, but the market is growing. Cyber insurance can help companies recover financially from cyberattacks and data breaches. But one way leaders can minimize the impact of losses from a cybersecurity incident is by getting cyber insurance. One reason is the cost: The Cyber Readiness Institute estimates that cyber insurance can cost businesses $500 to $5,000 a year. What cyber insurance does and doesn't coverMany policies offer first- and third-party coverage, and most companies need both, Engstrom said.

Persons: —, Shruti Engstrom, Engstrom, Josephine Wolff, Wolff, it's, Stephen Boyer, Boyer Organizations: Service, IBM, Tufts University, Insurance, Federal Trade Commission, Companies Locations: cyberattacks

☆ OpenAI's power players: Meet the 20 leaders helping shape the future of the AI giant
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Darius Rafieyan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +18 min

Last November, the sudden ouster of CEO Sam Altman and the resulting revolt by most of its employees cast doubts on the future of the world's most prominent AI company. While by no means a comprehensive list, below are some of the key power players who are helping to determine OpenAI's future. He took over for his former boss, Jason Kwon, who has since become the company's chief strategy officer. She's also been referred to as OpenAI's "minister of truth" for her efforts to ensure the company's AI products aren't deceptive or biased. ResearchJakub Pachocki, Chief ScientistRelated storiesPachocki joined OpenAI's research in 2017 after completing a PhD in computer science at Carnegie Mellon University.

Persons: —, Sam Altman, OpenAI, Sarah Friar, Friar, Goldman Sachs, She's, Jason Kwon, Kwon, Anna Makanju, Global Affairs Chris Lehane, Che Cheng, OpenAI's, Cheng, Mira Murati, Murati, Kevin Weil, Weil, Instagram, Peter Welinder, Peter Deng, Research Jakub Pachocki, Pachocki, Ilya Sutkever, Ilya, Mark Chen, Chen, Bob McGrew, Sam Altman's, Lilian Weng, Weng, Aleksandr Madry, Barret Zoph, John Schulman, Zoph, Alec Radford, Radford, Zico Kolter, Kolter, Paul Nakasone, Bret Taylor, Taylor, He's, Larry Summers, Fidji Simo, Melinda Gates, Nicole Seligman, Adam D'Angelo, Quora, Altman, D'Angelo, Andrea Appella, Haidee Schwartz, Schwartz, Akin Gump, She'll, Heather Whitney, Whitney, Morrison Foerster, Makanju, Sam, Biden, Chris Lehane, Lehane, Clinton Organizations: Service, OpenAI, Business, Microsoft, Apple, Google, Khosla Ventures, Global, Global Affairs, Amazon, supercomputing, Tesla, Meta, Twitter, ChatGPT Enterprise, Research, Carnegie Mellon University, MIT, Facebook, Security, Machine Learning Department, Carnegie Mellon Carnegie Mellon, Stanford, CMU, Safety, Security Committee, US Army, NSA, US Cyber Command, Defense Department, U.S, Melinda Gates Foundation, Global Competition, Netflix, Century Fox, Competition, Federal Trade Commission, New York Times, Harvard Law School, University of Chicago Law School, NYU, Canada, Global Policy, Public Affairs, House, Newsweek Locations: Europe, Washington, OpenAI, Silicon, Middle East, Asia, London, Chan, Airbnb

☆ Harris can chart her own path with the top regulators — and Big Business hopes she's on their side
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Alice Tecotzky | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Chris Larsen, the billionaire founder of blockchain payments company Ripple who is among the execs to endorse Harris, told Business Insider he wants her to make different appointments if she wins. "The way that they have already been interacting with business leaders is a compelling indication of where things could go in the future," Levie told Business Insider. Kovacic previously told Business Insider that Harris' relationship to economic progressives like Warren remains unclear. "It's not as though they think she will simply be an agent of Big Tech," he previously told Business Insider. "In the next four years, we'll be dealing with major policy subjects that relate to the next many decades of innovation," he told Business Insider.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, hamstrung, he'd, Sen, Elizabeth Warren of, Biden, Warren, Warren's, Lina Khan, Gary Gensler, Kamala Harris, Khan, William Kovacic, That's, Harris, Adam Kovacevich, Elizabeth Warren, Kovacevich, Kamala Harris doesn't, Politico, winced, Aaron Levie, Arati Prabhakar, Chris Larsen, Larsen, Catalini, Gensler, Dallas Mavericks Mark Cuban, Levie, Kovacic, Obama, Douglas Farrar, we'll Organizations: Service, White, Democratic, Business, Federal Trade Commission, Securities, Exchange, George Washington University, of, Consumers Bank Association, Science, Technology, Bloomberg, MIT Cryptoeconomics, SEC, Dallas Mavericks, FTC, Democratic Party, Warren, Biden, Big Tech, Harris Locations: Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Biden's, Harris, California, Gensler

Lawyers for Washington state will have past grocery chain mergers – and their negative consequences – in mind when they go to court to block a proposed merger between Albertsons and Kroger. Albertsons and Kroger own more than 300 grocery stores in the state and control more than half of grocery sales there. They are trying to get the case dismissed, arguing a state court isn’t the proper venue to consider a nationwide ban. Albertsons and Kroger insist that their plan, including the sale of stores to C&S, will lower grocery prices and preserve competition. In 2016, Albertsons acquired a Haggen supermarket and then promptly closed an Albertsons store about a mile away in Birchwood.

Persons: general's, Haggen, ”, Tina McKim, Bob Ferguson, Kroger, Brad Weber, Locke, Judge Marshall Ferguson, Ferguson, Weber, McKim, ” McKim, “, She’s Organizations: Albertsons, Kroger, Federal Trade Commission, S Wholesale Grocers, Safeway, Fighters, Democrat, King County Superior Court, Walmart, Costco, U.S, FTC, Associated Press Locations: Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Bellingham , Washington, Washington —, Bellingham's Birchwood, King County, Seattle , Washington, Dallas, Birchwood

☆ Asia-Pacific markets open lower after gains on Wall Street; Japan and South Korea data in focus
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-11 | by ( Anniek Bao | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The upscale shopping district of Ginza in Tokyo, Japan, on Saturday, May 4, 2024. Asia-Pacific markets opened lower on Wednesday, despite gains on Wall Street ahead of the U.S. August consumer inflation report due Wednesday. Traders in Asia parsed key economic data from Japan and South Korea. South Korea reported that unemployment fell to 2.4% in August, the lowest level since 1999, when the data series commenced, according to Statistics Korea. The sentiment for non-manufacturers declined for a third consecutive month to plus 23, from plus 24.

Persons: Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Canada's Alimentation Organizations: Traders, Statistics Korea, Reuters, Republican, Democratic, Federal Trade Commission, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp, Taiwan Locations: Ginza, Tokyo, Japan, Asia, Pacific, South Korea

☆ Neither Trump nor Harris really gave us much detail about how they will fix the economy in the debate
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-11 | by ( Alice Tecotzky | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Though the debate opened with a discussion about the economy, the conversation quickly devolved into platitudes, boasts, and personal jabs. Industry leaders told Business Insider that they hoped to hear the candidates discuss crypto guidelines, regulation, and key appointments on Tuesday night, but little was said about any of those topics. "What we really need is either a debate or a whole section of a debate devoted to economic issues," Tedeschi said. Tedeschi told Business Insider that we need clarity about Trump's proposed tariffs, which are the "most consequential and radical thing that he's proposed." Chris Larsen, the billionaire co-founder of blockchain payments company Ripple, told Business Insider that Harris was "spectacular."

Persons: —, Kamala Harris, Donald Trump sparred, Ernie Tedeschi, Tedeschi, Harris, Trump, Paul Donovan, Mark Penn, Clinton, Aaron Levie, Chris Larsen, Crypto, there's, Larsen, Bradley Tusk Organizations: Service, Industry, Business, Yale Budget Lab, UBS Global Wealth Management, New York Times, Federal, Federal Trade Commission, Others, Trump, Democratic, Tusk Venture Partners Locations: platitudes

Although there are no restrictions on how often you can file for bankruptcy, there are restrictions on how often you can receive a discharge. While Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcies will have the same effect on your credit score, creditors may view a Chapter 13 bankruptcy more favorably. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy will stay on your credit report for 10 years, while a Chapter 13 bankruptcy will fall off after seven years. Frequently asked questions about how often you can file for bankruptcyCan I file a Chapter 13 bankruptcy after a Chapter 7 bankruptcy? Yes, you can file Chapter 13 after Chapter 7 bankruptcy, but you must wait at least four years after the discharge of your Chapter 7 to file Chapter 13.

Persons: Filers, you've, Adrienne Hines, Hines, Scott Glatstian, Rosenblum, Lamine Zarrad, —, Jennifer, Read Organizations: refiling, Wright Co, Rosenblum Law, Federal Trade Commission, Business, Yahoo, Finance, CBS, MSNBC, CNBC, Forbes, Black Enterprise, USA, The Johns Hopkins University Carey School of Business, Business Journalists Locations: Kademenos, Chevron, America, TheGrio, New York City

☆ Tech and business leaders will be looking for 3 things during the Harris-Trump debate
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-09 | by ( Alice Tecotzky | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

And that really, for tech, is going to determine what matters," he told Business Insider. "That was a clear effort to court business and tech," Tusk said. "That was really eye-opening, because that is not usually thought of as a business issue, it's thought of as a social issue," Snyder told Business Insider. But business and tech leaders will be looking at more than just policy on Tuesday night. AdvertisementLarsen believes that Harris may be able to provide the country with the reset that he and other business leaders are looking for.

Persons: —, Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Harris, Joe Biden, Chris Larsen, Biden, Larsen, Bradley Tusk, Gary Gensler, Jordan Nof, Tusk, Gary Gensler's, Kieran Snyder, Snyder, Lina Khan, she's, Nof, Trump, Mark Cuban, Aaron Levie, Roe, it's Organizations: Service, Democratic National Convention, Business, Industry, Venture Partners, Democratic, Securities and Exchange Commission, Tusk Venture, SEC, Silicon, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Wall Street Journal Locations: California, Silicon, U.S, China

☆ The bitcoin ATM has emerged as one of cryptocurrency's biggest threats
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-08 | by ( Kevin Williams | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Bitcoin ATMs are a rapidly growing presence in the United States and, some experts say, a rapidly growing cybercrime menace. So, while a cash ATM tucked away between the snack cakes and energy drinks at a gas station may not draw much attention, a bitcoin ATM gets more scrutiny from bad actors. But in addition to old tricks, there are newer threats bitcoin ATMs introduce that cash ATMs do not face. Although the bitcoin ATM isn't exactly drawing crowds, Patel says a surprising number of senior citizens show up at the kiosk, alarming given the rise of bitcoin ATM scams targeting seniors. Basic steps to avoid bitcoin ATM scamsTo protect against these scams, users should be cautious and skeptical of any request to pay through a bitcoin ATM.

Persons: Timothy Bates, Bates, Joe Dobson, Dobson, Donald Trump's, J.D, Vance, refashioned, Elon Musk, Sai Patel, Patel, Alice Frei, Frei Organizations: University of Michigan's College of Innovation, Technology, Federal Trade Commission, Google, Social, Middletown Food Mart, Ohio, Trump Locations: United States, Middletown , Ohio, Middletown

☆ Google's second antitrust trial could help shape the future of online ads
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-06 | by ( Jennifer Elias | Jennifer Covers Google Parent Company Alphabet Inc. | Silicon Valley Culture For Cnbc.Com In San Francisco. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

For Google, the focus turns to its ad tools, which are part of the company’s $200 billion digital ad business. In the first antitrust case, the court found that Google violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act, which outlaws monopolies. The company’s M&A strategy “set the stage for Google’s later exclusionary conduct across the ad tech industry,” the Justice Department alleges. Google has long fought back against claims that it dominates online ads, pointing to the market share of competitors including Meta. It will argue that buyers and sellers have many options especially as the online ad market has evolved.

Persons: Biden, Donald Trump, Meta, Sherman, Goldman, Bernstein, Amit Mehta, ” Mehta, Google’s, Neal Mohan, Mohan, it’s, AdMeld, Jerry Dischler, It’s, Sissie Hsiao, Scott Sheffer, Prabhakar Raghavan, Simon Whitcombe Organizations: Department of Justice, Google, Microsoft, Big Tech, DOJ, Apple, Federal Trade Commission, Facebook, Amazon, Citibank, NYSE, New York Stock Exchange, YouTube, Google Network, U.S, District of Columbia, Department, DoubleClick, Meta, Stanford, Harvard, New York Times Locations: Alexandria , Virginia, California , Colorado , Connecticut , New Jersey , New York, Rhode Island and Tennessee, Google’s

☆ Microsoft dodges in-depth UK probe into hiring of staff from AI firm Inflection
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-04 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Mustafa Suleyman, co-founder and chief executive officer of Inflection AI UK Ltd., speaks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 18, 2024. In March, Microsoft announced the hiring of Suleyman from Inflection, along with a number of other key employees at the firm. Suleyman was appointed Microsoft's executive vice president and CEO of Microsoft AI. The CMA had not previously spelled out exactly how the hiring of Inflection AI employees could undermine competition. The Inflection arrangement isn't the only pact with a Big Tech company and AI startup that regulators in the U.K. are assessing.

Persons: Mustafa Suleyman, DeepMind, Suleyman, Karen Simonyan, Simonyan Organizations: Ltd, Economic, LONDON, U.K, Markets Authority, Microsoft, Windows, DeepMind, Google, CMA, CNBC Wednesday, Reuters, Street Journal, Big Tech, Amazon, Federal Trade Commission Locations: Davos, Switzerland, U.S, Britain, Redmond, Washington

☆ A popular website that connects caregivers with people in need deceived its users of millions of dollars, the FTC says
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-28 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

You can opt-out at any time by visiting our Preferences page or by clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of the email. download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. The website, which connects people with babysitters, senior care workers, or housesitters, used "inflated job numbers and baseless earnings claims" to deceive both customers and workers, the FTC said in a statement. AdvertisementTo communicate with a caregiver on Care, both job posters and job seekers must create an account on the website with an auto-renewed subscription, according to the release. AdvertisementCare said in the statement that the renewing subscriptions users have to buy are actually an annual "screening fee."

Persons: —, Samuel Levine, Care.com, Care Organizations: Service, Federal Trade Commission, Business, of Consumer, Forbes, FTC, Care Locations: United States

☆ A necessary step or government overreach? Economists are divided over Kamala Harris' plan to clamp down on food inflation
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-24 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewVice President Kamala Harris' proposal to combat grocery inflation hasn't elicited a range of opinions from economists, and many have turned to history to dispute her idea. Last week, the Democratic presidential nominee unveiled early details of her economic platform, which included a pledge to ban grocery price gouging. In a study from May, price gouging was the second leading perceived cause of inflation among surveyed consumers. AdvertisementWhether gouging deserves the blame for inflation, some have also criticized Harris' plan as an ineffective government overreach. Pundits have alluded to the price controls under President Richard Nixon.

Persons: —, Kamala Harris, Kenneth Rogoff, Harris, Ed Yardeni, Price, Richard Nixon, Stephen Moore, Lindsay Owens, Donald Trump Organizations: Service, Democratic, Business, CNN, Republican, Cato Institute, Heritage Foundation, CNBC, Federal Trade Commission, New York Times Locations: Cal, Maine

☆ Restaurants fight back against the FTC crackdown on 'junk fees' as diners balk at new charges
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-24 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Leopatrizi | E+ | Getty ImagesLawmakers want to crack down on "junk fees," but restaurants are trying to stay out of the fight. The Biden administration has broadly targeted so-called junk fees, like an undisclosed service charge for concert tickets or unexpected resort fees when checking out of a hotel. The Biden Administration is attempting to crack down on so-called "junk fees" in retirement accounts with a rule prosed by the U.S. Labor Department. Lobbyists vs. legislatorsOn the state level, restaurants have already had some success in getting excluded from the fight over junk fees. California's SB 478 law would ban so-called "junk fees".

Persons: Birkin, Biden, Joe Biden, Chip Somodevilla, Biden administration's crosshairs, Sean Kennedy, Kennedy, Andres Clavero, Clavero, Galit, Peter Demetri, Tai Huh, Huh, CSHG Organizations: Getty, National Restaurant Association, Federal Trade Commission, White, Biden Administration, U.S . Labor Department, National Women's Law, Cambridge Street Hospitality Group, Health, Restaurant Association, California's Locations: Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington ,, New York, Denver, Asian, Massachusetts, California, –, Oakland , California

☆ Opinion | Billionaire Donors Have It Out for This Legal Prodigy, but President Harris Will Need Her
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-23 | by ( Michelle Goldberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Some wealthy Harris backers have called for Khan’s replacement, including the LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, who donated $10 million to a Democratic super PAC this year. Because Harris’s economic views seemed fuzzy and her ties to Silicon Valley are strong, some on the left worried she might give in to the pressure. Wes Moore of Maryland, a close ally of the vice president, was asked on CNBC about jettisoning Khan, and suggested that Harris might break from President Biden’s aggressive approach to antitrust. “There are going to be different dynamics that are going to require different philosophies,” said Moore. As the broad outlines of Harris’s economic approach have emerged over the last week, it seems at least as populist as Biden’s.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Lina Khan —, —, Harris, Reid Hoffman, Barry Diller, Khan, Wes Moore, jettisoning Khan, Biden’s, ”, Moore Organizations: Democratic, Federal Trade Commission, LinkedIn, CNBC, IAC, Expedia, Gov Locations: Silicon, Maryland

☆ How ‘Deepfake Elon Musk’ Became the Internet’s Biggest Scammer
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-14 | by ( Stuart A. Thompson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +13 min

How ‘Deepfake Elon Musk’ Became the Internet’s Biggest Scammer An A.I.-powered version of Mr. Musk has appeared in thousands of inauthentic ads, contributing to billions in fraud. Mr. Beauchamp, an 82-year-old retiree, saw a video late last year of Mr. Musk endorsing a radical investment opportunity that promised rapid returns. “I mean, the picture of him — it was him,” Mr. Beauchamp said about the video he saw of Mr. Musk. Original A.I. Audio Original Original A.I.

Persons: ‘ Deepfake Elon, Musk, Steve Beauchamp, Elon, Beauchamp, —, ” Mr, ‘ Pick, ’ that’s, “ It’s, ”, Francesco Cavalli, Scammers, Thorold Barker, Sensity, Warren Buffett, Jeff Bezos, “ Elon, Donald J, Trump, Elon Musk, Andrew Forrest, scammers, Lou Steinberg, Cavalli, Eastern Europe — cobble, “ There’s, Molly White, Finn Brunton, Davis, “ I’m Organizations: A.I, Deloitte, Wall, Street, Amazon, India, Facebook, YouTube, Better Business Bureau, CNET, Meta, Hong Kong’s Securities, Futures Commission, Federal Trade Commission, Federal Bureau of Investigations, TED, Fox News, Eastern Europe —, Tesla, University of California, CNN, New York Times, Magna, The New York Times, Better Locations: Sensity, India, Russia, China, Eastern Europe, Ontario, Canada

☆ White House aims to make it easier for consumers to get refunds, cancel subscriptions
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-12 | by ( Josephine Rozzelle | Josie Rozzelle Is A Cnbc Digital Rotational Associate Covering Politics. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

“I think we can all relate to this,” White House domestic policy advisor Neera Tanden told reporters Friday. Dubbed the “Time is Money” initiative, the actions will make it easier for consumers to cancel subscriptions, get refunds, submit health care and insurance forms online, and access high-quality customer service. Another existing effort cited by the White House is a June 2023 FTC proposal to target companies that use deceptive customer feedback practices, like fake reviews. None of the actions that make up the “Time is Money” initiative will require congressional approval, a senior administration official said. The White House has pursued aggressive antitrust regulations and taken a highly skeptical approach to crypto currencies, both of which have rankled Wall Street.

Persons: Neera Tanden, ”, Biden, Kamala Harris, Broad, Harris, ” Tanden, policyholders, Xavier Becerra, Julie Su, “ Organizations: Biden, House, Democratic, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade, FTC, of Health, Human Services, of Labor, Department of Transportation, Republicans, Representatives, White House

☆ White House launches broad new regulatory effort, as Harris prepares to unveil economic plan
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-12 | by ( Josephine Rozzelle | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. President Joe Biden attends a press conference during NATO's 75th anniversary summit, in Washington, U.S., July 11, 2024. "I think we can all relate to this," White House domestic policy advisor Neera Tanden told reporters Friday. Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris is preparing to unveil her presidential campaign's first economic policy plans this week. "The CFPB will identify when the use of automated chatbots or automated artificial intelligence voice recordings is unlawful, including in situations in which customers believe they are speaking with a human being," according to a White House fact sheet. The initiative also calls on health insurance companies to allow policyholders to submit claims online.

Persons: Joe Biden, Leah Millis, Neera Tanden, Biden, Kamala Harris, Broad, Harris, Craig Hudson, Tanden, policyholders, Xavier Becerra, Julie Su Organizations: NATO's, Biden, House, Democratic, U.S, Las Vegas Aces, White, Reuters, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade, FTC, of Health, Human Services, of Labor Locations: Washington , U.S

☆ America's subscription trap nightmare could be coming to an end
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-12 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

They include a proposal to make it easier to cancel subscriptions and memberships. They would also address bad customer service with a rule to make it easier to speak with a human. Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . These rules would ensure people are not stuck paying subscriptions they don't want, losing money and time in the process.

Persons: —, Joe Biden's Organizations: White, Service, Federal Trade Commission, Department of Transportation, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Business

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