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Contingencies
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Contingencies Contingencies
In the ordinary course of business, we are involved in various pending and threatened litigation and regulatory matters related to our operations, such as claims brought by our clients in connection with commercial disputes, defamation claims by subjects of our reporting, and employment claims made by our current or former employees, some of which include claims for punitive or exemplary damages. Our ordinary course litigation may also include class action lawsuits, which make allegations related to various aspects of our business. From time to time, we are also subject to regulatory investigations or other proceedings by state and federal regulatory authorities as well as authorities outside of the U.S., some of which take the form of civil investigative demands or subpoenas. Some of these regulatory inquiries may result in the assessment of fines for violations of regulations or settlements with such authorities requiring a variety of remedies. We believe that none of these actions depart from customary litigation or regulatory inquiries incidental to our business.
We review lawsuits and other legal and regulatory matters (collectively "legal proceedings") on an ongoing basis when making accrual and disclosure decisions. When assessing reasonably possible and probable outcomes, management bases its decision on its assessment of the ultimate outcome assuming all appeals have been exhausted. For legal proceedings where it has been determined that a loss is both probable and reasonably estimable, a liability based on known facts and which represents our best estimate has been recorded. Actual losses may materially differ from the amounts recorded and the ultimate outcome of our pending cases is generally not yet determinable.
While some of these matters could be material to our operating results or cash flows for any particular period if an unfavorable outcome results, at present we do not believe the ultimate resolution of currently pending legal proceedings, either individually or in the aggregate, will have a material adverse effect on our financial condition.
In addition, in the normal course of business, and including without limitation, our merger and acquisition activities, strategic relationships and financing transactions, the Company indemnifies other parties, including clients, lessors and parties to other transactions with the Company, with respect to certain matters. We have agreed to hold the other parties harmless against losses arising from a breach of representations or covenants, or arising out of other claims made against certain parties.
These agreements may limit the time within which an indemnification claim can be made and the amount of the claim. The Company has also entered into indemnity obligations with its officers and directors.
Federal Trade Commission Investigation
On April 10, 2018, the Federal Trade Commission (the "FTC" or the "Commission") issued a Civil Investigative Demand (“CID”) to Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. ("D&B Inc.," a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company) related to an investigation by the FTC into potential violations of Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (the "FTC Act"), primarily concerning our credit managing and monitoring products such as CreditBuilder. D&B Inc. completed its response to the CID in November 2018. On May 28, 2019, the FTC staff informed D&B Inc. that it believes that certain of D&B’s practices violated Section 5 of the FTC Act, and informed D&B Inc. that it had been given authority by the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection to engage in consent negotiations. Following discussions between the Company and the FTC staff, on September 9, 2019, the FTC issued a second CID seeking additional information, data and documents. The Company completed its response to the second CID in April 2020. In a letter dated March 2, 2020, the FTC staff identified areas of interest related to the CIDs and we completed our responses to the letter on April 7, 2020. On April 20, 2020, the FTC and D&B Inc. entered a tolling agreement with respect to potential claims related to the subject matter of the investigation. On February 23, 2021, the FTC staff provided D&B Inc. with a draft complaint and consent order outlining its allegations and the forms of relief sought, and advised that it had been given authority to engage in consent negotiations. Following consent negotiations, on September 21, 2021, D&B Inc. agreed to enter in an Agreement Containing Consent Order ("Consent Agreement"). On January 13, 2022, the FTC informed the Company that the Commission had voted to accept the Consent Agreement. On January 19, 2022, the Consent Agreement was published in the Federal Register, triggering a 30-day public comment period that ended on February 18, 2022. The Consent Agreement remains subject to final approval by the Commission following the public comment period.
In accordance with ASC 450, an amount in respect of this matter was accrued in the consolidated financial statements during the first quarter of 2021. The amount of any loss has not been fully determined, and it is possible that the amount could exceed the amount accrued and that the amount of such additional loss could be material.
DeBose v. Dun & Bradstreet Holdings, Inc., No. 2:22-cv-00209-ES-CLW (D.N.J.)

On January 17, 2022, Plaintiff Rashad DeBose filed a Class Action Complaint against the Company, alleging that the Company used the purported class members’ names and personas to promote paid subscriptions to the Company’s Hoovers product website without consent, in violation of the Ohio right of publicity statute and Ohio common law prohibiting misappropriation of a name or likeness. As this matter was recently filed and the Company is in the very early stages of investigating this matter, the Company has not yet completed its evaluation of the claims or its defenses.
In accordance with ASC 450 Contingencies, similar to what is stated above, as the Company is in the very early stage of investigating the claims, we therefore have no basis to determine that a loss in connection with this matter is probable, reasonably possible or estimable, and thus no reserve has been established nor has a range of loss been disclosed.