Consumer protection refers to the laws designed to aid retail consumers of goods and services that have been improperly manufactured, delivered, performed, handled, or described. Such laws provide the retail consumer with additional protections and remedies not generally provided to merchants and others who engage in business transactions, on the premise that the consumers do not enjoy a sufficient bargaining position with respect to the businessmen with whom they deal and therefore should not be strictly limited by the legal rules that govern recovery for damages among businessmen. The overarching goal is to protect individuals and the interest of the public in general from unfair and misleading activity in business and commerce (such as false advertising and deceptive trade practices) and scams perpetrated by criminals (such as identity theft and pyramid schemes) that harm a substantial number of consumers.
West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984. The latest residential population estimate was 34,675. The city is well-known for its nightlife, celebrity culture, and diverse atmosphere. The city has large gay, Jewish and eastern European populations. The area is informally referred to as "WeHo". The general plan describes the city as an urban village, interpreted by city residents as a neighborly, safe environment with a diversity of residents and businesses and streets that are green and walkable. West Hollywood is "urban" in the sense of traffic, nightlife, and general activity level, but the "village" component distinguishes the City from adjacent cities. This city is known as one of the largest gay villages in the United States. Although just 1.9 square miles in size, West Hollywood is one of the highest profile communities in the Los Angeles area, full of celebrities and nightlife, and due to its central location among the generally wealthy communities west of downtown Los Angeles. Goings-on in the city and surrounding areas are broadcast daily in media around the world, including on TMZ on TV from Sunset Boulevard and Crescent Heights Avenue (intersection actually in the city of Los Angeles).