Why the FTC’s Action Against Hims & Hers Matters for Dealerships

The Federal Trade Commission’s recent lawsuit against Hims & Hers is more than a telehealth story—it’s a clear signal about how the FTC is approaching privacy, data sharing, and consumer protection across all industries. Dealerships should pay close attention.

In its complaint, the FTC alleges that Hims & Hers shared sensitive health information with advertising platforms like Meta and Snap, even though the company promised to protect patient privacy. The agency also says the company charged consumers earlier than disclosed and made subscription cancellations unnecessarily difficult. While dealerships don’t operate in the healthcare space, or regularly sell subscription services, the underlying issues, data sharing, transparency, and consumer control are exactly the areas where the FTC has been increasing scrutiny.

Dealerships routinely collect personal information through online lead forms, credit applications, digital retailing tools, chat systems, and website tracking technologies. Much of this data flows through multiple third‑party vendors. If a dealership’s privacy notice says one thing, but its website or vendors do another, the FTC views that as a deceptive practice. That’s the same pattern at the center of the Hims & Hers case.

The lesson is simple: dealerships must know what data they collect, how it’s shared, and whether their vendors or tracking tools send information to advertising platforms. And they must ensure their privacy disclosures accurately reflect those practices.

The FTC’s message is consistent and persistent: companies that mishandle consumer information—or hide how it’s used—will face enforcement. Dealerships that take privacy seriously, diligently protect customer private data, monitor vendor behavior, and maintain clear disclosures are far better positioned to avoid regulatory trouble and build trust with their customers.

You can read the complete FTC press release here.

Matt Vatter

Chief Compliance Officer, Accelerate2Compliance