Oscar Gonzalez
Oscar Gonzalez is a freelance writer and editor who covers tech, misinformation, business, and the stock market. He's written for Gizmodo, CNET, TheStreet, CBS, and NBC.
News BriefSEC Chair Atkins signals end to ‘regulation by enforcement’ in line with Trump’s pro-crypto agenda
The Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Paul Atkins explained his agency’s shift on cryptocurrency regulation to a Senate committee as legislators bargain over President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” and the GENIUS Act, which would have the federal government invest heavily in cryptocurrency.
News BriefGoogle’s $500M compliance overhaul may fall short, amid antitrust fallout
Google parent Alphabet has struck a new agreement with shareholders, settling a shareholder lawsuit with a promise to ”completely revamp and rebuild its global compliance structure,” according to a new legal filing. The investment may not go far enough to reform Alphabet’s compliance failings, which are particularly under scrutiny following ...
News BriefApple, Google face compliance crossroads as states push digital safeguards
A new law in Texas will go into effect next January that requires Apple and Google to verify the age of their app store users. This marks another piece of legislation from the state level intended to protect children, and the second such law specifically from Texas to limit children’s ...
News BriefCPSC firings spark legal fight as Trump continues ousting independent officials
Three former commissioners of the Consumer Product Safety Commission who were fired by President Donald Trump earlier this month have filed a lawsuit against the government over their dismissal. The move joins many more court battles over Trump’s sudden slashing of government agencies, which some courts have deemed illegal, blocking ...
News BriefFTC shuts down student loan firms over deceptive debt relief practices
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took action against a pair of student loan debt relief companies for allegedly deceiving borrowers. The move came despite the Trump administration’s broader efforts to roll back enforcement actions against businesses since taking office.
News BriefCoinbase faces a leftover SEC probe as crypto enforcement loses steam
After dismissing its lawsuit against the crypto exchange Coinbase in March, a second investigation into the exchange by the Securities and Exchange Commission has surfaced, according to a report from the New York Times. This comes as a bit of a surprise after the Trump administration has been scaling down ...
News BriefFTC pushes back timeline for ‘Click to Cancel’ Rule, raising compliance questions
The Federal Trade Commission was set to begin enforcement of the “click to cancel” rule on May 14, but a new announcement from the agency pushed that date to July 14. As is the case with many of the regulatory decisions by the Trump administration, it’s unclear whether the agency ...
News BriefBuy now, pay later firms catch a break as CFPB backs off enforcement
The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) signaled a softer regulatory approach last month, easing its investigation of financial firms following the U.S. government’s broader efforts under President Donald Trump to scale back regulatory enforcement on businesses. The agency reaffirmed this pivot as it will ease scrutiny of “Buy Now, ...
PremiumADQ’s Fatima Almarzooqi is Compliance Week’s 2025 Rising Star in Compliance Award Winner
Fatima Almarzooqi, senior compliance specialist at ADQ, has spent five years in the industry, working across direct engagement with subsidiary leadership, regulatory advisory, and the implementation of wide-scale compliance initiatives. But it’s her thoughtful and fun ideas that made her a Rising Star in Compliance at the 2025 Excellence in ...
News BriefFTC sues Uber over deceptive subscriptions, a rare move for consumers by Trump officials
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a lawsuit against Uber, alleging the ride-hailing company signed customers up for its Uber One subscription without consent, then made it hard for them to cancel. The move marks the U.S. government’s latest broadside against big tech companies, and the first major action from ...
News BriefCFPB pullback signals further shift toward industry-friendly regulation
The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau continues to unravel amid pressure from Trump administration officials to shutter the agency. Not only has the agency informed its employees that it will no longer be a watchdog for the financial services industry, it has also laid off employees despite court orders blocking ...
PremiumSurvey highlights demand for quick, customizable, and cost-effective compliance training
Compliance training has become less expensive and more customizable to keep up with the constant rule changes, according to a new survey by microlearning training platform Ethena and Compliance Week.
News BriefDOJ disbands crypto investigation unit, another sign of the Trump administration’s support of digital currency
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) disbanded its crypto investigation unit on Monday, marking another step from President Donald Trump to support the crypto industry and lighten the regulatory burden of potential crypto crime investigations that had started under the Biden administration.
News BriefEU looking to scale back GDPR in coming weeks
The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation has been in effect since 2018, requiring companies to securely handle users’ personal data. The European Commission will reportedly review the regulations and claw back some of the rules, which could make doing business in Europe a little easier for these companies.
News BriefDismissed Democrats on Federal Trade Commission sue Trump administration
Two former Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission–Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter–filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump and the remaining commissioners, claiming their recent termination was without cause and that the courts should rule their dismissals as “unlawful and ineffective.”
News BriefEU regulator questions 'culture of compliance' with Digital Markets Act at Apple, Google
The European Commission released its preliminary findings last week regarding Apple and Google not complying with the Digital Markets Act. It issued orders to both companies regarding their business practice and plans to release all of its findings next week.
News BriefTreasury reversal of OFAC sanctions against Tornado Cash signals eroding AML scrutiny
The U.S. Treasury Department lifted its sanctions against cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash on Friday after a federal appeals court ruled in November the penalty levied by the agency’s Office of Foreign Assets Control was an overreach.
News BriefDemocratic FTC commissioners blast Trump's 'illegal' firings
President Donald Trump fired two Democratic commissioners serving on the Federal Trade Commission, the regulatory agency overseeing antitrust and consumer protection laws and which has been traditionally independent and staffed by members of both political parties.
News BriefInterim DOJ Civil Division head nominated to take on full role
President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Brett Shumate, the current acting head of the Civil Division at the Department of Justice, to assistant attorney general of the division. Shumate’s nomination to the arm of the DOJ that primarily handles civil cases comes at a time when Trump’s administration ...
News BriefDOJ orders Lockheed Martin to pay $30M over defective pricing on F-35 contracts
The Department of Justice announced it reached a settlement with Lockheed Martin stemming from allegations of “defective pricing on contracts for F-35 military aircraft.” The deal comes days after Attorney General Pam Bondi was confirmed by the Senate, which will shift the DOJ’s focus away from white-collar misconduct.