The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has begun the process of placing Google under federal oversight, an action that could set new standards for how the federal government can monitor big tech if the effort succeeds.
Coming under the CFPB’s oversight would allow Google to face regular oversight and scrutiny, though the exact objectives of the department’s efforts have not been fully disclosed.
This has been a project in the works for some time, though, as sources told The Washington Post that Google has been fighting the CFPB’s move for months.
The department was created in 2008 in response to the financial crisis that year, and aims to protect consumers from unfair or deceptive financial practices.
The CFPB primarily focuses on businesses like banks and credit unions, but director Rahit Chopra has shown interest in recent years in subjecting tech companies that offer financial products to similar oversight.
For example, the bureau launched investigations into the app store payment systems of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, PayPal, and Square in 2021.
The initial move by the CFPB to oversee Google, and the full scope of the agency’s operations, will likely be affected by Donald Trump’s return to the presidency in early 2025.
But there was a small group of new products that rose above the rest. Our list of CES 2025 winners includes a variety of categories, from general areas like home entertainment, transportation, and smart home to themed topics like sustainability and accessibility.
After our team shortlisted the nominees and voted on the best for different categories, we conducted another round of voting to decide on the best product of the show.