Brain training game owes FTC $2 million over false advertising

Gimme brain like NYU

Lumosity is an online puzzle game platform that fancies itself a brain trainer and uses a lot of science claims to back that up — and to validate its $120/year subscription fee paid by possibly 60 million members (I imagine some of these accounts could be lapsed subscribers, trial signups that never made it into the paid phase; still, 60 million).

But the FTC won’t let it be. Lumosity settled with the Federal Trade Commission, agreeing to pay $2 million for its “deceptive and unfounded” claims of cognitive improvement.

“Lumosity preyed on consumers’ fears about age-related cognitive decline, suggesting their games could stave off memory loss, dementia, and even Alzheimer’s disease,” Bureau of Consumer Protection director Jessica Rich said. “But Lumosity simply did not have the science to back up its ads.”

Lumosity to Pay $2 Million to Settle FTC Deceptive Advertising Charges for Its “Brain Training” Program [FTC]