Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
The Federal Trade Commission is reportedly investigating Juul Labs, the e-cigarette startup, over its marketing practices, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. The government agency is particularly interested in whether Juul used deceptive marketing that targeted minors. It’s also looking into Juul’s hiring of influencers to sell its products. The FTC might seek monetary damages.
In a statement to the Journal, Juul said it used influencers in a “small, short-lived pilot” that ended last year. The company paid less than $10,000 to fewer than 10 adults over the age of 30 who were current or former smokers, the spokesperson told the paper.
The investigation apparently has been in the works since last year, even before tobacco…