The Federal Trade Commission announced that it is bringing back its "Green Lights & Red Flags:  FTC Rules of the Road for Business" workshops.  The first workshop will be held in Atlanta on August 15, 2019.  Apparently, the FTC intends to hold these workshops around the country again as it did many years ago.  

The Atlanta program is sponsored by the FTC, the Office of the Georgia Attorney General, the State Bar of Georgia Antitrust Law Section, and the Better Business Bureau Serving Metro Atlanta.  

The topics to be covered at the program include: 

• The Truth About False Advertising. An introduction to federal and state laws prohibiting deceptive and unfair practices.
• Avoiding a Promotion Commotion. Using e-commerce marketing platforms (including social media and influencers), making “free” offers online, and complying with the Consumer Review Fairness Act.
• The Secure Entrepreneur. Insights into safeguarding customers’ personal information and honoring your privacy promises.
• Competition Counts: The Basics of Antitrust Law. A do's and don’ts primer for businesses and attorneys.
• When Your Competitor Crosses the Line. Self-regulation and litigation options for challenging a competitor’s deceptive advertising.
• Professionalism for Attorneys. A one-hour session that complies with Georgia’s Continuing Legal Education (CLE) requirements.

If you're in the Atlanta area, and you're looking for insights into what the FTC cares about, this should be a day well-spent. When I spoke at one of these programs more than 15 years ago, I think, it was full of useful information for advertisers. We'll report back once we hear where else the FTC plans to hold these workshops in the coming months.