What is the role of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)?

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) plays a crucial role in protecting consumers and promoting healthy competition within the marketplace. This is achieved through various regulatory measures that prevent unfair, deceptive, or fraudulent practices in commerce. The FTC enforces laws that ensure businesses engage in fair competition and provides consumers with information to make informed purchasing decisions. By overseeing antitrust laws, the Commission works to prevent monopolies and other practices that could harm competition, which ultimately benefits consumers through better prices and more choices.

The other choices suggest roles that do not align with the FTC’s mission. For instance, the regulation of international trade policies is typically the responsibility of different federal agencies, such as the Office of the United States Trade Representative. A local organization addressing consumer grievances would pertain more to state-level consumer protection agencies rather than a federal entity like the FTC. Lastly, while the FTC does have authority over advertising standards to some extent, it is not solely defined by that role; its primary focus encompasses a broader range of consumer protection and competition issues.