Federal Trade Commission

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent U.S. government agency responsible for protecting consumers and enforcing antitrust laws against anticompetitive business practices. It investigates consumer fraud, deceptive advertising, and unfair competition while reviewing major acquisitions for potential antitrust violations.

The FTC has become central to tech regulation as artificial intelligence and platform competition reshape the industry. The agency regularly clears acquisitions—such as SpaceX's purchase of data-center chip startup Mesh Optical Technologies—while pursuing enforcement actions against major firms. Recent investigations have included potential legal action against Amazon over alleged deception of advertisers. A recent Supreme Court ruling upholding presidential removal authority over FTC commissioners has raised questions about the agency's future independence in tech oversight.