#aad? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,s4     
#bjdd  ,,an ,,act  ,to prohibit ! use ( 
c]ta9 clauses 9 =m contracts t re/rict !
 ability ( a consum] to communicate     
reg>d+ ! goods or s]vices (f]$ 9        
int]/ate comm]ce t 7 ! subject ( !      
contract1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort  
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,consum]
 ,review ,fre$om ,act ( #bjae4  #b4     
,consum] review protection  7a7         
,def9itions ,9 ?is section3 7#a7        
,commission ,! t]m ,commission means !  
,f$]al ,trade ,commission4  7#b7 ,cov]$ 
communication ,! t]m cov]$ communication
 means a writt51 oral1 or pictorial     
review1 p]=mance assessm5t (1 or o!r    
simil> analysis (1 includ+ by electronic
 means1 ! goods1 s]vices1 or conduct ( a
 p]son by an individual :o is p>ty to a 
=m contract ) respect to :i* su* p]son  
is also a p>ty4  7#c7 ,=m contract  7,a7
 ,9 g5]al ,except z provid$ 9           
subp>agraph 7,b71 ! t]m =m contract     
means a contract ) /&>diz$ t]ms-- 7i7   
us$ by a p]son 9 ! c\rse ( sell+ or     

leas+ ! p]son's goods or s]vices2 &     
7ii7 impos$ on an individual )\t a      
mean+ful opportunity = su* individual to
 negotiate ! /&>diz$ t]ms4  7,b7        
,exception ,! t]m =m contract does n    
include an employ]-employee or indep5d5t
 contractor contract4  7#d7 ,pictorial  
,! t]m pictorial includes pictures1     
photographs1 video1 illu/rations1 &     
symbols4  7b7 ,invalidity ( contracts t 
imp$e consum] reviews  7#a7 ,9 g5]al    
,except z provid$ 9 p>agraphs 7#b7 &    
7#c71 a provision ( a =m contract is    
void f ! inception ( su* contract if su*
 provision-- 7,a7 prohibits or re/ricts 
! ability ( an individual :o is a p>ty  
to ! =m contract to engage 9 a cov]$    
communication2  7,b7 imposes a p5alty or
 fee aga9/ an individual :o is a p>ty to
 ! =m contract = engag+ 9 a cov]$       
communication2 or  7,c7 transf]s or     
requires an individual :o is a p>ty to !
 =m contract to transf] to any p]son any
 intellectual prop]ty rights 9 review or
 fe$back cont5t1 ) ! exception ( a      

non-exclusive lic5se to use ! cont5t1 t 
! individual may h 9 any o!rwise lawful 
cov]$ communication ab\t su* p]son or ! 
goods or s]vices provid$ by su* p]son4  
7#b7 ,rule ( con/ruction ,no?+ 9        
p>agraph 7#a7 %all be con/ru$ to        
affect-- 7,a7 any duty ( confid5tiality 
impos$ by law 7includ+ ag5cy guidance72 
7,b7 any civil cause ( action =         
defamation1 libel1 or sl&]1 or any      
simil> cause ( action2  7,c7 any p>ty's 
"r to remove or refuse to display       
publicly on an ,int]net website or      
webpage own$1 op]at$1 or o!rwise        
controll$ by su* p>ty any cont5t ( a    
cov]$ communication t-- 7i7 conta9s !   
p]sonal in=mation or lik5ess ( ano!r    
p]son or is libel\s1 h>ass+1 abusive1   
obsc5e1 vulg>1 sexually explicit1 or    
inappropriate ) respect to race1 g5d]1  
sexuality1 e?nicity1 or o!r intr9sic    
*>act]i/ic2  7ii7 is unrelat$ to ! goods
 or s]vices (f]$ by or available at su* 
p>ty's ,int]net website or webpage2 or  
7iii7 is cle>ly false or mislead+2 or   

7,d7 a p>ty's "r to e/abli% t]ms &      
conditions ) respect to ! creation (    
photographs or video ( su* p>ty's       
prop]ty :5 ^? photographs or video are  
creat$ by an employee or indep5d5t      
contractor ( a comm]cial entity & solely
 int5d$ = comm]cial purposes by t       
entity4  7#c7 ,exceptions ,p>agraph 7#a7
 %all n apply to ! ext5t t a provision (
 a =m contract prohibits disclosure or  
submission (1 or res]ves ! "r ( a p]son 
or bus9ess t ho/s onl9e consum] reviews 
or comm5ts to remove-- 7,a7 trade       
secrets or comm]cial or f9ancial        
in=mation obta9$ f a p]son & consid]$   
privileg$ or confid5tial2  7,b7 p]sonnel
 & m$ical files & simil> in=mation !    
disclosure ( :i* w\ld con/itute a cle>ly
 unw>rant$ invasion ( p]sonal privacy2  
7,c7 records or in=mation compil$ = law 
en=cem5t purposes1 ! disclosure ( :i*   
w\ld con/itute a cle>ly unw>rant$       
invasion ( p]sonal privacy2  7,d7 cont5t
 t is unlawful or o!rwise meets !       
requirem5ts ( p>agraph 7#b77;,c72 or    

7,e7 cont5t t conta9s any comput]       
viruses1 worms1 or o!r pot5tially damag+
 comput] code1 processes1 programs1     
applications1 or files4  7c7            
,prohibition ,x %all be unlawful = a    
p]son to (f] a =m contract conta9+ a    
provision describ$ z void 9 subsection  
7b74  7d7 ,en=cem5t by ,commission  7#a7
 ,unfair or deceptive acts or practices 
,a violation ( subsection 7c7 by a p]son
 ) respect to :i* ! ,commission is      
emp[]$ "u section #e7;a77#b7 ( ! ,f$]al 
,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4  
#de7;a77#b77 %all be treat$ z a         
violation ( a rule def9+ an unfair or   
deceptive act or practice prescrib$ "u  
section #ah7;a77#a77;,b7 ( ! ,f$]al     
,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4  
#eg;a7a77#a77;,b774  7#b7 ,p[]s (       
commission  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,commission
 %all en=ce ?is section 9 ! same mann]1 
by ! same means1 & ) ! same             
jurisdiction1 p[]s1 & duties z ?\gh all 
applicable t]ms & provisions ( ! ,f$]al 
,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4  

#da et seq47 7 incorporat$ into & made a
 "p ( ?is ,act4  7,b7 ,privileges &     
immunities ,any p]son :o violates ?is   
section %all be subject to ! p5alties & 
entitl$ to ! privileges & immunities    
provid$ 9 ! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission   
,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #da et seq474  7e7  
,en=cem5t by ,/ates  7#a7 ,au?orization 
,subject to subp>agraph 7,b71 9 any case
 9 :i* ! attorney g5]al ( a ,/ate has   
reason to believe t an int]e/ ( !       
resid5ts ( ! ,/ate has be5 or is ?reat5$
 or adv]sely affect$ by ! engagem5t (   
any p]son subject to subsection 7c7 9 a 
practice t violates su* subsection1 !   
attorney g5]al ( ! ,/ate may1 z p>5s    
patriae1 br+ a civil action on behalf ( 
! resid5ts ( ! ,/ate 9 an appropriate   
di/rict c\rt ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates to obta9 
appropriate relief4  7#b7 ,rights (     
,f$]al ,trade ,commission  7,a7 ,notice 
to ,f$]al ,trade ,commission  7i7 ,9    
g5]al ,except z provid$ 9 clause 7iii71 
! attorney g5]al ( a ,/ate %all notify !
 ,commission 9 writ+ t ! attorney g5]al 

int5ds to br+ a civil action "u p>agraph
 7#a7 be=e initiat+ ! civil action aga9/
 a p]son describ$ 9 subsection 7d77#a74 
7ii7 ,cont5ts ,! notification requir$ by
 clause 7i7 ) respect to a civil action 
%all include a copy ( ! compla9t to be  
fil$ to initiate ! civil action4  7iii7 
,exception ,if x is n feasible = !      
attorney g5]al ( a ,/ate to provide !   
notification requir$ by clause 7i7 be=e 
initiat+ a civil action "u p>agraph     
7#a71 ! attorney g5]al %all notify !    
,commission imm$iately ^u in/itut+ !    
civil action4  7,b7 ,int]v5tion by f$]al
 trade commission ,! ,commission may--  
7i7 int]v5e 9 any civil action br\ght by
 ! attorney g5]al ( a ,/ate "u p>agraph 
7#a7 aga9/ a p]son describ$ 9 subsection
 7d77#a72 &  7ii7 ^u int]v5+-- 7,i7 be  
he>d on all matt]s aris+ 9 ! civil      
action2 &  7,,ii7 file petitions =      
appeal ( a decision 9 ! civil action4   
7#c7 ,inve/igatory p[]s ,no?+ 9 ?is     
subsection may be con/ru$ to prev5t !   
attorney g5]al ( a ,/ate f ex]cis+ !    

p[]s conf]r$ on ! attorney g5]al by !   
laws ( ! ,/ate to conduct inve/igations1
 to adm9i/] oa?s or affirmations1 or to 
compel ! att5dance ( witnesses or !     
production ( docum5t>y or o!r evid5ce4  
7#d7 ,preemptive action by ,f$]al ,trade
 ,commission ,if ! ,f$]al ,trade        
,commission in/itutes a civil action or 
an adm9i/rative action ) respect to a   
violation ( subsection 7c71 ! attorney  
g5]al ( a ,/ate may n1 dur+ ! p5d5cy (  
su* action1 br+ a civil action "u       
p>agraph 7#a7 aga9/ any def5dant nam$ 9 
! compla9t ( ! ,commission = ! violation
 ) respect to :i* ! ,commission in/itut$
 su* action4  7#e7 ,v5ue2 s]vice (      
process  7,a7 ,v5ue ,any action br\ght  
"u p>agraph 7#a7 may be br\ght 9-- 7i7 !
 di/rict c\rt ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates t meets 
applicable requirem5ts relat+ to v5ue "u
 section #acia ( title #bh1 ,unit$      
,/ates ,code2 or  7ii7 ano!r c\rt (     
compet5t jurisdiction4  7,b7 ,s]vice (  
process ,9 an action br\ght "u p>agraph 
7#a71 process may be s]v$ 9 any di/rict 

9 :i* ! def5dant-- 7i7 is an inhabitant2
 or  7ii7 may be f\nd4  7#f7 ,actions by
 o!r ,/ate (ficials  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,9   
addition to civil actions br\ght by     
attorneys g5]al "u p>agraph 7#a71 any   
o!r consum] protection (fic] ( a ,/ate  
:o is au?oriz$ by ! ,/ate to d s may br+
 a civil action "u p>agraph 7#a71       
subject to ! same requirem5ts &         
limitations t apply "u ?is subsection to
 civil actions br\ght by attorneys      
g5]al4  7,b7 ,sav+s provision ,no?+ 9   
?is subsection may be con/ru$ to        
prohibit an au?oriz$ (ficial ( a ,/ate f
 initiat+ or cont9u+ any proce$+ 9 a    
c\rt ( ! ,/ate = a violation ( any civil
 or crim9al law ( ! ,/ate4  7f7         
,education & ,outrea* = ,bus9esses ,n   
lat] ?an #fj days aft] ! date ( !       
enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,commission %all 
comm5ce conduct+ education & outrea* t  
provides bus9esses ) non-b9d+ be/       
practices = compliance ) ?is ,act4  7g7 
,relation to ,/ate causes ( action ,no?+
 9 ?is section %all be con/ru$ to affect

 any cause ( action br\ght by a p]son t 
exi/s or may exi/ "u ,/ate law4  7h7    
,effective dates ,?is section %all take 
effect on ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is     
,act1 except t-- 7#a7 subsections 7b7 & 
7c7 %all apply ) respect to contracts 9 
effect on or aft] ! date t is #ij days  
aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act2 &  
7#b7 subsections 7d7 & 7e7 %all apply ) 
respect to contracts 9 effect on or aft]
 ! date t is #a ye> aft] ! date ( !     
enactm5t ( ?is ,act4  ,pass$ ! ,s5ate   
,decemb] #ad1 #bjae4,secret>y