( in full the Federal Trade Commission )
an independent US government organization created in 1914 to protect free competition in business. It uses antitrust legislation to prevent monopolies (= companies which are so large that no others can compete with them). It investigates unfair business practices and has the legal power to stop them and to take companies to a court of law. The FTC also controls labels on products and tries to stop false advertisements.
Compare Office of Fair Trading .