E-commerce marketing · Industry brief

The FTC recently took enforcement action against 15 corporations and eight individuals operating subscription schemes through Cyprus- and Ukraine-based entities, targeting deceptive advertising, undisclosed recurring charges, unauthorized billing, and burdensome cancellation practices. The agency's allegations followed a five-stage playbook involving failure to clearly disclose subscription terms, use of engaging online tasks to drive purchases, and deliberate obstruction of cancellation mechanisms. A temporary restraining order was agreed to by several defendants, including asset freezes, foreign asset repatriation, customer data protections, and expedited discovery extending to third-party banks and payment processors, signaling the FTC's continued aggressive enforcement focus on subscription compliance and deceptive practices in the payments ecosystem. Source: Payments Pros episode via Troutman.

ADA has completed its acquisition of Algonomy, a leader in AI-driven decisioning for retail, strengthening ADA's intelligent growth platform across personalization, merchandising, and supply-chain intelligence. The combined entity now serves over 400 leading brands globally across 34 markets in APAC, the US, MENA, and Europe, with Algonomy clients retaining full access to existing products while gaining access to ADA's broader capabilities under the unified ADA brand. (Source: PRNewswire)

The European Commission intensified Digital Services Act (DSA) enforcement in July 2026, issuing preliminary findings against Instagram and Facebook for addictive design practices, fining AliExpress €550 million for failing to mitigate risks from illegal products, and finding TikTok in breach for unsafe minor accounts. The Commission also accepted X's compliance action plan following a previous non-compliance decision. These enforcement actions signal a shift toward requiring specific product design changes rather than relying solely on financial penalties, with the Commission expecting platforms to redesign features like infinite scroll and personalized recommendations to protect consumer safety and wellbeing. Experts note that effective enforcement requires sustained monitoring mechanisms, transparent data access for researchers and regulators, and measurable compliance targets—challenges the FTC and other US regulators have similarly faced in technology enforcement.