Evolv "Deeply Regrets" Generalizing About Its Capabilities, Conflicts With FTC Rules
After years of false marketing issues at Evolv, the company has for the first time admitted that its statements may have "generalize[d] our capabilities." But US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rules, which squarely apply to security companies like Evolv, warn against generalizing.
In this report, we examine Evolv's statement to IPVM, and explain why 'generalizing' conflicts with FTC guidance not to exaggerate, misrepresent, or overstate claims.
Executive *******
*** *****, ***** *** ****** ***** or ********** ****** ***** *** *********, and *** ******* *** *** **** IPVM **** "** ********** ** *** of *** **** ********** ******** ** generalize *** ************."
'************' **** ***** ** *** ***** for ***********. ***** ******* * ** the *** ***, ********* **** *** exaggerate, *** *** ****** **** ** substantiated ** ******** (******** **** * 'generalized' ***** ****** ******'* ****). *** advertising ********* ***** ** *** *********, including ******** ************* **** *****.
***** ****** ** "****** ******" *** actions, *** **** *****'* ****** *** company ***** *** *** ** **** harm.
Evolv ****** **********
***** *** **** * ****** ** false ** ********** ********* ****** ** recent *****. *** ********:
- ************ **** ********* ******** "** ********,"***, ** ****, **** *********** ******** ***** ***** ************** ********* *********.
- ********* ********"**** *** **** ******** *** ** their *********," ****** *******'* ********* **************** *************** **** ******* ****** ******** belts********** ****.
- ******* ******** ** ******** *********** ******* weapons *** ***-*******, ***** *************** * *** *********** ********* **** **** **** ***** ****** on ********* *****,**** ***** ******* *** *******.
- *****'* ******* **** *** *******'* ******** **************** *** "*** *** ******* ** the *****" *** ******* ***** **** Evolv********* ** ****** ******* **** *** many ******.
- ***** ****** ****** ** ****** "*** faster" **** ************ ***** ********* ********** ** ********** ** ******* ** **** ******, which *****'* *** ********* ******** ** not * **** ***********.
***** *** **** ** ****** ********** of ***** ****** *** ********* ** market *******. ** **** *** *******, Evolv's************* ******** **** ** "eliminates *** ******** that visitors, fans, patrons, employees and students moving through security by screening them in a touchless ******." [emphasis added] Evolv's thoroughly documented friction in screening shows this is not true.
*** ******* ***** ******* ** ******* to ****,******** **** ***** ******* *** ***** ** **** ** "disclosing *********** ******** **** ***** **** threat ******."
*******, ***** *** ******* ** ** IPVM *********** *** *******'* *** "******** ***********" setting** **** **** ***** ******, * report ***** ***** ***** **** *****'* marketing ********* **** ****-***** ***********. ***** told ****:
** ************** ******* ** *** ********** and *** *******, *** ***** ********* that *** ****** ********* *** ********* face *** *** ****-*** ************ ***** employed *** ******** ** ****.We ********** ** *** ** *** **** ********** ******** ** ********** *** ************ ** *** ****. [******** *****]
* ******* ********* ******* ** *****'* website ** ***"*****" ****. ** ******** ** *** ********, "Why *** ***** *** ** *** detect *** *** ******* *** ****** weapons-free *****? ***’* **** ********** *** public?", ***** ****:
** ************** ******* ** *** ********** and *** ******* ***deeply ****** if any of our past statements confused ** ******** ** ********** *** ************ ** *** ****. [******** *****]
**** ** *****'* ********* ****** *** outright ******** ****** **** '***************,' *** Evolv's ********* ** ******* ***** *** company ********** ************ **** ** *** misled ******. ** "**********," ** ** "confuse" "************", ********* **** ***** *** exaggerated ******, *** *** ******** ********* qualifiers, *** *** *** **** *********** about ****-***** ***********.
Marketing ****** *******
*** *** ** ***** **** ********* must *** ********** ** ************ ** advertising. ***** *** ***************** ********* *** ******** ******** **** that ********* ****** *** ********* ************ and ****:
**** ** ***’** ***** *********, *** can’t ************ **** **** ******* ****.
*** ************ ******* ***** **** ********* should "**** ****" **** ***** ********* does ***:
***** ** ***** *** ********** ** something **** ***’* **** **** *** perspective ** * ********** ******** ...Just ******* **’* ********* *****’* **** *** *** *** ** **********. [******** *****]
*** ************ **** ****:
********* ** ******** ******** *** ******* to *** **** *****-**-*********** **** ** all ***** ***********.
*** *** *** ************ ****** **** doctrine. ** *** ****,********* *. ****** ** *******, *** *** ********** **** ****** of ******* *** *********** *** ********** of *** *** *****. ****** ** America **** * $**.* ******* **********. In ******* ****,** ** *** ****** *******, ***., *** *** ***** **** ******, a **** ******* ****** ****** ********, was ************ *** ****** ********. ***** *. ****, * ******* ***** ********** **** two ******** ******** *********, ********** *********, Inc. *** *********** ******** ********, ***, deceived ********* ** ****** *****/********** *********** claims.
************, *********** ******* ****** ****** *** afoul ************** *** ******** ***** ***** **************. ********* **** **** * "********** basis," **** ********** ********, *** *** claims **** ** ***********. ****** **** are ****** ****** ** "**********" *** likely *** ****** ** ****** ********. Both ***** ***** * ******* ** selective ************ ** ****.
*** ******** **** *** ***** ** that ********* **** ********** ***** *** capabilities ** ***** ********. *********** ******** or ********** ********* *** ********** * deceptive ******** ***** ******* * ** the*** ****** ***** *********** *********.
Evolv **** *********** ******** ***********, *** **********
***** ***** ** ******* *** ************* by ******** ** *********** ***********. ***** said ** *** ********* ** **** that:
********* *** ********** *** ******* ****** more ******* ** ********** ** ******* the ******** ********** ****** *** *********** environment.
*******, ****** ** ********* *** **** ** ** ***** to *********** ******** ***** ***********, *** on ********* ** ******** *** *********** in ****-****. ********* ***** ****** ***** ****** ***********:
**** *********, *********** ****** *********** ******** limitations *** ********** *********** **** *** underlying *****.
***** *** ******* **** ********, ******* opting ** **********, **** ***********, *** deceive *********.
Evolv **** ********* ** ********, *** **** ********** **** ******* *** *****
***** **** ***** ** ****** *** actions ** ******** ** ** "********" "threat *********" *** "****-*** ************" ** its ********* ** ****. *** **** of *****'* ********** **** ******* *** years.
*** ********, *****'* ******* ********** ******* alert ** ********* ***** **** *********** and **** ******* ********* ******* **** knives.**********, ** *****, *** ****, ** ***** ******* ****** * knife **** * ******* **** ** stab * *********.
***** *** ***** ***** ** ******* those **********. *** ************ ******** ***** *** ****** ** Evolv ************* ****** ***** ****** ** "******** items" **** *********** *** ******************* *********** ******** ** ****** ****** knives.
*****'* ******** ***** ** **** *** company **** *********** ********* ****************** ***** it *** ****** ***** ** ******* to "********" *******. *** ********, ******** belts, ******, *** ********* *********** ******** system **********, *********** ***** *****'* ***-******** ***** ***** having "*** ******" ********** **** *********** false.
*** *****'* ******** ** **********. *** challenges **** *********** *** ***** ******* are *** ***. ************ ** *** ****** ** ******* 2022, *** ***** ****** ************ *** ****** ** March ****.
***** *** *** ** ***** ** months ** ******* *** ******* ********* misrepresentations. ** *** ****** ** ** so.
*******
*****, **** *** ***** *******, ** bound ** *** *****-**-*********** ****. ****** most ***** *********, ***** *** ************ flouted ****. *** ********* **** **** statements "********** *** ************" ** ***** evidence.
*** ***** ** *** ****** **** you *** *** ** *******.
**** *** '************** *******' ** ******** - *** ********** *** ********* **** you *** ******* - **** **** better ** *********** ** **** ************ belief **** ***** **** **** ** your ******** ****** *********.