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FTC sues 1-800 Contacts over online search advertising

By Diane Bartz WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. antitrust enforcers filed a complaint against 1-800 Contacts on Monday, alleging that the online contact lens seller reached agreements with 14 rivals which would hamper consumers seeking to compare prices. The Federal Trade Commission alleged in an administrative complaint that 1-800 Contacts had reached agreements with 14 other online contact lens retailers that they would not advertise to customers who had searched online for 1-800 Contacts. “1-800 Contacts has aggressively policed the bidding agreements, complaining to competitors when the company has suspected a violation, threatening further litigation, and demanding compliance,” the complaint said.

Europeans spend 24 billion euros on narcotics each year: report

European Union citizens spend some 24 billion euros ($27.28 billion) on illicit drugs every year, a report said on Tuesday, making it one of the continent’s most profitable activities for organized crime groups. The report, drawn up by Europol and European Union drugs monitoring center EMCDDA, said the advent of new technology such as encrypted networks and digital currencies had opened a new market for the online supply of drugs. “Illicit drug production and trafficking remains one of the largest and most innovative criminal markets in Europe,” Europol director Rob Wainwright said in a statement.

Online life for teens may lead to real-life problems

By Andrew M. Seaman (Reuters Health) – Teen’s online behaviors may create real-life problems like relationship abuse and negative thoughts on body image, according to two new studies. The studies, published in the journal Pediatrics, suggest that education and monitoring by parents may help reduce these behaviors and their negative consequences. Both studies confirm “what we’re finding out in research, that the online behaviors seem to mimic offline behaviors,” Jeff Temple told Reuters Health. …