TRUSTe deceived consumers about recertification program, FTC says

It turns out that TRUSTe, the provider of privacy certifications for online businesses, may not be so trustworthy after all. The company failed to conduct annual recertification checks for hundreds of companies holding its privacy seal, despite promising to do so, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has charged.

The FTC and TRUSTe have reached a settlement on the agency’s complaint that the company deceived consumers about its recertification program, the FTC announced Monday.

From 2006 until January 2013, TRUSTe failed to conduct annual recertifications of companies holding TRUSTe privacy seals in more than 1,000 cases, despite saying on its website that companies holding TRUSTe Certified Privacy Seals receive recertification every year, the FTC alleged in its complaint.

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