Advertising and the Federal Trade Commission: A Reposte

Abstract

Making advertisements which perform their basic function of selling goods and services in a competitive economy has become more difficult lately, largely due to increased intervention in advertising matters by the Federal Trade Commission and a broadening of their interest in all affairs relating to the market place. Somewhat paradoxically, this has had some favorable effects on the advertising business. It has encouraged greater attention to product performance. It has caused advertising to be more specific and accurate in what It says or implies. And it has accelerated the movement toward serious advertising self-regulation. But it's a short step from the sublime to the ridiculous. And in its vigorous efforts to regulate, the FTC has often overstepped its authority and has taken stupid—If not down-right dangerous—positions.     

The Federal Trade Commission Redefinition of Deception and Public Policy Implications: Let the Buyer Beware

The current movement toward market deregulation in the United States is perhaps no better illustrated than by the proposals put forth by the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), James C. Miller, III. His far reaching suggestions would alter considerably the approach taken by the FTC toward the regulation of advertising. This paper reviews the current standards of deception in advertising regulation and compares them with Miller's proposals for new standards. Two recent cases settled under the current guidelines are presented. The probable outcome of these cases under the proposed guidelines is examined by employing a framework proposed by Miller and Hutt for analyzing the effects of regulatory policy. Based on that examination, the authors conclude that the current standards have allowed federal and state agencies to bring about elimination of false advertising claims that would not be possible to prove under the proposed guidelines. While the proposed changes may bring certain benefits to government, business, and consumers, their most significant effect could be to reintroduce the rule of caveat emptor.     

Characteristics of Consumer Participants in Federal Trade Commission Rule Making

Increasing interest has been exhibited by both consumer groups and government agencies in gaining greater consumer participation in the rule-making procedures of the federal government. Yet little is known about the characteristics and attitudes toward marketing of “participant consumers”-those consumers who have participated in the process and made their viewpoints known to federal agencies. This study investigated such consumers. Significant differences were found between the demographic and attiludinal characteristics of participant consumers and consumers in general. To gain a balanced consumer perspective as inputs for regulations, federal regulators will have to extend their information gathering activities well beyond the normal consideration of consumer briefs received.     

Federal Trade Commission v. General Motors: An unsettling settlement

The authors report and criticize a settlement between the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and General Motors (GM). The case described in detail concerned defective automotive parts produced by GM which caused substantial economic harm to consumers due to non-disclosure. Both FTC and GM opted for a consent order agreement and established an arbitration procedure for recovery of damages. This settlement was found unsatisfactory by state attorneys general because it does not give the consumer simple access to remedy. State consumer protection agencies now try to help consumers by providing them with information which they can use in the arbitration proceedings. It is too early to draw definite conclusions about the effectiveness of the remedial approach chosen by the FTC and about the results of state initiated efforts to assist GM customers with a complaint.

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Ein ungleicher Vergleich: Federal Trade Commission v. General Motors

Zusammenfassung Der Beitrag berichtet von einem Verfahren der Federal Trade Commission (FTC) gegen den Automobilkonzern General Motors (GM), das Defekte an der Schaltungsautomatik der Nockenwelle und der Einspritzpumpe an GM-Fahrzeugen seit 1974 betraf. Unter ihrer generalklauselartigen Zuständigkeit, unlautere oder täuschende Handelspraktiken zu bekämpfen, hat die FTC die Möglichkeit, Herstellern und Händlern nicht nur ein bestimmtes Verhalten im Wettbewerb zu verbieten, sondern auch Ersatz anzuordnen. Diese Zuständigkeit läuft parallel mit der einzelstaatlichen Befugnis, für den Verbraucher schützend tätig zu werden. Im Regelfall vergleichen sich FTC und der angegriffene Wettbewerber. Dieser Vergleich (consent decree) wird vor der endgültigen Wirksamkeit öffentlich bekannt gemacht. Jede interessierte Person, darunter auch einzelstaatliche Verbraucherschutzbehörden, können kritische Kommentare einreichen.Im vorliegenden Fall hatte die FCT vor allem aus prozeßökonomischer Sicht auf einen Vergleich hingearbeitet, der anders als die frühere Praxis nicht direkt eine Ersatzleistung für die zahllosen geschädigten Verbraucher vorsah, sondern ein Schiedsverfahren installierte. Diese Vorgehensweise wird in dem Bericht, der auf einer Stellungnahme der Justizminister der US-amerikanischen Einzelstaaten fußt, lebhaft kritisiert. Um dem Verbraucher dennoch eine effektive Durchsetzung seiner Rechte zu ermöglichen, bemühen sich die Verbraucherschutzbehörden der Staaten — hier das Beispiel Wisconsin — um Aufklärung und Hilfe. Eine endgültige Beurteilung ist angesichts der angelaufenen Schiedsverfahren noch nicht möglich.

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Stephen J. Nicks is Assistant Attorney General, State of Wisconsin, and Program Director, Wisconsin Department of Justice Office of Consumer Protection, 123 West Washington Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53707, USA. Mark M. Leitner is Law Clerk, Wisconsin Department of Justice Office of Consumer Protection.     

The Shifting Sands of Merger Enforcement at the Federal Trade Commission

This paper presents a statistical model for Federal Trade Commission merger enforcement. After reviewing the literature, economic and political variables are posited to explain bureaucratic merger decisions. Various probit models are estimated with the results suggesting that the Commission enhanced the consideration given to merger–specific efficiencies in response to exogenous pressure to increase merger enforcement. Overall, the tightening of merger policy appears to have been focused on the transactions lacking documented cost savings     

Regulating product safety: The informational role of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission

Those familiar with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission know that it often deals with product safety issues. Nevertheless it is not generally recognized as a safety agency. This paper undertakes a comprehensive review and analysis of the FTC's safety-related activities. It also presents a preliminary evaluation of the potential for FTC safety-related activities to improve consumer product-related safety as compared to other, more traditional, forms of safety law and regulation. It recommends that the FTC make greater use of its unfairness authority to provide safety information during the period of product use in contrast to the Commission's current focus on regulating pre-purchase information.

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Zusammenfassung Die Regulierung der Produktsicherheit: die informationelle Rolle der U.S. amerikanischenDie Federal Trade Commission ist häufig mit Fragen Wettbewerbsbehörde FTC. der Produktsicherheit befa\t. Dennoch gilt sie nicht als generelle Sicherheitsinstanz. Der Beitrag bietet einen überblick über die Aktivitäten der FTC, die Fragen der Sicherheit berühren, und analysiert dabei die Regulierung werblicher Aussagen zur Produktsicherheit, der Unterlassung von Produktinformationen zur Produktsicherheit vor dem Kauf sowie der Sicherheitsinformationen während des Gebrauchs eines Produktes. Zugleich versucht der Beitrag eine vorläufige Bewertung dieser FTC-Aktivitäten zur Verbesserung der Produktsicherheit im Vergleich zu anderen, eher traditionellen Formen der rechtlichen Regelung der Produktsicherheit. Der Autor schlägt vor, da\ sich die FTC stärker der Regulierung der Sicherheitsinformationen während der Produktverwendung widmet, statt — wie bisher — den Schwerpunkt auf die Regulierung der Information vor dem Kauf zu legen.

     

浅议国际贸易中的佣金问题

向国外支付佣金是我国对外贸易中常见的情形，本文从计算佣金的基数、计算佣金的方法以及支付佣金的时间3个方面提出了见解。     

贸易关系持续时间的研究进展

双边贸易中贸易零值的大量存在引发了学者们对贸易持续时间影响因素的特别关注。贸易关系的持续时间从一个新视角研究了贸易的动态行为,是贸易增长中集约边际的重要组成部分,较长的贸易持续时间可以促进贸易的持续平稳发展。本文从贸易关系持续时间的特征事实、理论解释、计量模型的选取及影响因素分析等四个方面对相关文献进行了梳理,对比和评析了相关研究的结论与方法,在此基础上得出了启示及未来研究方向。     

贸易摩擦理论研究

在全球化背景下的国际经济交往中,一方面各国之间的相互依存不断加深,另一方面经济全球化的浪潮也缩小了各国之间的比较优势,各国之间的竞争加剧,贸易摩擦层出不断。当前随着全球经济一体化进程的加快及我国加入世贸组织,我国已步入贸易摩擦高发期,其中中美贸易摩擦格外引人注目。因此,重视贸易摩擦问题,对其进行理论探讨,就成为最为基础性的研究工作。     

国内贸易的市场化

中国确立以市场经济作为改革的目标以来,国内贸易中市场经济体制已经初步建成,并日趋完善,具体表现为:国内贸易主体自主性、独立性增强;以市场调节为主的价格机制基本形成;城镇居民住房的商品化率明显提高;城镇居民医疗卫生保健和教育支出的增加;一些重要商品和服务的市场化改革更加深入.作为整个市场经济的重要组成部分,中国的国内贸易市场化进程也随着经济的发展、改革的深化和对外开放程度的扩大而不断向前推进,贸易主体、价格、特殊商品将进一步市场化,政府管理将进一步法制化.     

Competitive Tendering and Contracting in the Public Sector: A Survey

This paper is a survey of the role and impact of competitive tendering and contracting (CTC) policies in the public sector. The paper examines the theoretical rationale for introducing competition in the provision of public services and the methodology by which contracting decisions are reached. It investigates the extent of implementation and nature of outcomes in several countries. A broad sweep of the empirical findings suggests that CTC generates substantial cost savings. Lack of adequate data makes an assessment of the effect on quality more troublesome, and further research is needed     

东亚服务贸易的概况及其构成分析

服务贸易是世界贸易发展中的亮点。近年来,东亚各国和地区在飞速的经济发展过程中,服务贸易得到了长足的发展,其构成也发生了变化,运输、旅游等服务在服务贸易总额中占据了较大的比重。     

Participation in a Mail Survey of International Marketers:

This study examines the viability of using preliminary notification and detailed project explanation in mail surveys for studies of international marketing issues. In addition, there are questions raised about the culture-boundedness of research methodology in marketing research.     

世贸组织农产品贸易争端综述

随着世界贸易范围的不断扩展,国际贸易领域的新问题、新现象层出不穷,使得农产品贸易争端在国际贸易争端中的比重有所下降。但是,农业贸易自由化进程中主流暗流并存的现象和农产品贸易所必然带来的利益冲突又使得农产品贸易摩擦不断、争端不少,在国际贸易争端中仍占有极其重要的地位。纵观《1947年关贸总协定》生效以来,特别是世贸组织成立之后,所发生的历次农产品贸易争端可以发现,农产品贸易争端在产品范围、成员(缔约方)结构、贸易措施种类和协议条款内容等方面都发生了显著的变化,并具有不同的特点。本文通过统计分析,详细阐述了不同时期、不同阶段农产品贸易争端的变化与特点,说明了当前农产品贸易争端的发展趋势。     

A Community Survey of Purchase Experiences of Older Consumers

A telephone survey was conducted which examined recent purchase experiences for 282 older consumers residing in a midwestern academic community. The types of purchases studied were eyeglasses, funeral services, hearing aids, home appliance repair services, home repair services, and nursing home care. Generally high satisfaction levels were reported for these purchases. A tendency on the part of the respondents to draw upon past knowledge and experience in making their purchase decisions was found. A procedural caution is noted in the interpretation of social survey data on local consumer services.     

自由贸易协定与全球价值链嵌入:对FTA深度作用的考察

价值链分工模式不仅重塑了世界贸易新格局,也对传统贸易规则提出了严峻挑战,签署FTA成为各国融入全球价值链并追求更高水平贸易规则的主要途径。本文考察深度FTA对各国全球价值链嵌入的影响,根据WIOD最新世界投入产出表测算41个国家(地区) 2005—2014年的GVC参与程度、GVC参与长度及GVC位置指数,对总体样本、不同收入水平国家分别进行回归,并重点考察FTA深度条款的具体影响。回归结果表明:一国签署的FTA数量对其全球价值链嵌入没有影响,而FTA深度能够有效促进一国对全球价值链的参与并提升价值链上游度水平,此效应对发展中国家更为显著;具体条款方面,服务贸易与知识产权条款是保障一国深度参与全球价值链生产的关键因素。     

贸易增长的二元边际:一个文献综述

贸易增长的二元边际是对贸易流量的结构性分解,深入剖析二元边际的结构、作用机制和影响因素对理解贸易增长的性质、福利含义以及贸易政策的制定等贸易实践都具有指导意义。本文从以下四个方面归纳和评述已有的研究成果:(1)在对二元边际的概念界定进行整理;(2)总结关于测度二元边际结构的经验研究;(3)二元边际对贸易福利的作用机制;(4)影响二元边际的因素分析。通过对已有文献的总结和评述,指出发现国内研究的不足以及今后研究拓展的方向。     

论自然保护区的公众参与法律制度

我国目前对于自然保护区的立法级别较低,制定《自然保护区法》势在必行。在《自然保护区法》中,应当大量引入公众参与与监督制度,组织志愿者来加入保护自然保护区的工作,这样更加有利于对自然保护区的建设与保护。     

Trade policymaking in Uruguay: Recent trends and challenges ahead

This paper reviews the main recent trends in trade and trade policy in Uruguay. At first sight, between 2012 and 2018 no major changes are noticed in trade and trade policy in the country. Trade lost importance as share of national GDP, exports concentrated in primary sectors, and tariffs remained unchanged. However, some advances are noted. Trade in services increased substantially, export markets diversified, and the country participated actively in multilateral negotiations. As part of MERCOSUR, the country has just signed two potentially liberalising agreements, and the bloc’s internal agenda is also being modernized. At the national level, the country has undergone a series of reforms to modernise its customs procedures and facilitate trade. Some challenges lie ahead. MERCOSUR needs to consolidate the recent liberalising trend, and needs to work on its internal agenda, to liberalise interregional trade, remove non-tariff barriers and harmonise special regimes for imports. Uruguay, for its part, needs to continue with its domestic reforms to consolidate trade facilitation, to reduce duties and charges to trade, and to attract foreign investment.     

论我国公共政策制定中的公民参与

公民参与公共政策过程是公民政治参与的重要方面,也是公共政策研究的新话题。在我国,公众参与政策制定的水平有了一定的发展,公民可以通过各种形式参与到政策制定中。目前,我国公众参与政策制定过程中还存在制度、组织缺陷和参与水平不高等问题。我国应大力推进公民参与的制度化,大力发展公民组织,拓展参与渠道,采取有效措施提升公民参与的整体水平。