Leadership and Companies
FTC Weighs New Duties for Platforms Over Impersonation Scam Ads
The FTC is seeking public comment on whether platforms’ ad tools help spread government and business impersonation scams.
What happened
The US Federal Trade Commission is considering changes to its Rule on Impersonation of Government and Businesses. An Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking asks whether ad-optimization tools used by social media platforms, search engines and other digital marketplaces help scammers reach consumers with deceptive ads. The FTC is seeking information on platforms’ incentives, how their tools optimise ads, existing safeguards and whether new requirements are needed. Possible measures include advertiser vetting, ad monitoring, investigations, removal of confirmed scam ads and penalties. In 2025, consumers reported more than 1 million imposter scams and nearly $3.5 billion in losses. The Commission voted 2-0.
Why it matters
The inquiry puts platforms’ ad-optimisation practices under potential regulatory scrutiny. Nearly 30% of consumers who reported losing money to scammers in 2025 said social media was their first point of contact, with reported losses reaching $2.1 billion.
Source: FTC News