Google/iHeartMedia pays $9.4M to settle FTC prices for ‘misleading’ Pixel 4 radio advertisements • TechCrunch

The Federal Commerce Fee this week introduced that it has settled lawsuits towards Google and iHeartMedia regarding “misleading endorsements” of the Pixel 4 telephone. In keeping with an announcement issued by the FTC, practically 29,000 advertisements had been aired that includes radio personalities.

The go well with notes particularly that the promoters in query by no means used the handset, despite claiming to have had expertise with the machine. Google is claimed to have paid iHeartMedia – the USA’ largest radio proprietor – together with 11 different networks in 10 main markets tens of millions to advertise the product.

These endorsements included scripted traces, together with “It’s my favourite telephone digicam on the market, particularly in low mild, due to Night time Sight Mode,” “I’ve been taking studio-like pictures of every part,” and “It’s additionally nice at serving to me get stuff completed, due to the brand new voice activated Google Assistant that may deal with a number of duties directly.”

“Google and iHeartMedia paid influencers to advertise merchandise they by no means used, displaying a blatant disrespect for truth-in-advertising guidelines,” Bureau of Shopper Safety Director Samuel Levine stated in an announcement offered by the FTC. “The FTC won’t cease working with our companions within the states to crack down on misleading advertisements and guarantee corporations that break the foundations pay a value.”

Google and iHeartMedia have agreed to settle the go well with to the tune of $9.4 million. The information arrives as federal regulators are taking a better have a look at regulation round huge tech, together with a $400 million Google settlement for information monitoring and elevated scrutiny over potential monopolistic practices.

We’ve reached out to Google and iHeartMedia for remark.