On February 12, 2026, a bipartisan group of legislators in Maryland proposed the Maryland Artificial Intelligence Toy Safety Act. This proposed legislation would establish a sweeping regulatory framework for AI-enabled toys sold in the state, covering any device that uses machine learning, conversational AI, behavioral modeling, or similar computational processes and is marketed to or
Innovation is a word that carries real weight in product safety. Is there an emerging “duty to innovate” — a duty to proactively adopt feasible, safer technologies — or is innovation simply a good practice that may also reduce risk? That is exactly what a panel of industry and legal professionals tackled at this year’s
Tuesday, February 24 was the second day of the ICPHSO Annual Meeting and Training Symposium in Orlando, Florida. The Crowell team was on the ground throughout the day, and the sessions did not disappoint. From cybersecurity standards for IoT devices and the European Union’s (EU) sweeping new compliance obligations — the General Product Safety Regulation
What does Taylor Swift have to do with product safety? According to the panelists who took the stage for the first plenary session at the ICPHSO Annual Meeting & Training Symposium, quite a lot. As the opening lyric reminded the room, looking backward may be the only way to look forward.
Moderated by Molly Lynyak
President Trump has nominated Karen Sessions to serve a seven-year term as Commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), marking the latest step in reconstituting the agency following unprecedented leadership turnover. On February 11, 2026, the White House announced Sessions’ nomination to replace former Commissioner Mary T. Boyle. If confirmed by the Senate, Sessions
This past week, Senators Amy Klobuchar, Maria Cantwell and Edward Markey penned a letter to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) with “concerns regarding the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into children’s toys.” The letter requests the CPSC respond by January 31, 2026 explaining how it will ensure children are protected from certain harms posed by AI.
As we enter the new year, the FTC continues to prioritize consumer protection and fair competition, taking significant steps to prosecute offenders for alleged misleading conduct regarding consumer consent and enforce existing court orders. Additionally, the FTC has announced multiple revisions to the jurisdictional thresholds under the Clayton Act, increasing the thresholds for premerger notification
As we approach the end of the year, the FTC has been active in the consumer protection arena, reopening and setting aside a consent order due to President Trump’s AI Executive Order, analyzing consumer losses to rental scams, and warning companies about possible violations of the new Consumer Review Rule. More on these stories after
On September 9, Crowell & Moring hosted its quarterly Crowell Atelier networking breakfast for luxury and retail clients. The event featured a conversation between Shane St. Hill, chief legal and compliance officer at Studs, an experiential retail and e-commerce company that offers bespoke ear piercing services; and Crowell partner Matthew F. Ferraro, former senior counselor
On August 27, 2025, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) held a virtual public meeting to preview its 2026–2027 agenda. Acting Commissioner Peter Feldman and Executive Director Brian Lorenze outlined a significant pivot in the agency’s approach to product hazard detection and prevention—centered on artificial intelligence and predictive analytics.