FTC's Samsung penalty revives questions over regulatory consistency

The Fair Trade Commission's (FTC) latest sanction against Samsung Electronics is reviving questions over the consistency of its enforcement, as controversy persists over the timing and validity of the penalty. The dispute came shortly after the antitrust watchdog imposed a tentative fine of around 20 billion won ($15 million) on Samsung, Tuesday, for allegedly deceptive advertising related to its smart devices’ game optimizing service (GOS), which regulates processor performance to control heat and battery consumption during demanding gaming sessions. The regulator ordered Samsung to stop similar advertising, saying the company promoted the gaming capabilities of its flagship Galaxy S21 and S22 smartphone series and Galaxy Tab S8 tablets without disclosing GOS-related performance restrictions. The controversy dates back to 2022, when users accused Samsung of overstating gaming performance while restricting device capabilities through GOS. The company released a software update in March that year to address the complaints. The move, however, has raised doubts, as it came after the contr