It’s “vital” the FTC continue taking on major tech...
It’s “vital” the FTC continue taking on major tech companies to protect consumers’ privacy, new FTC chief Edith Ramirez said Friday at an International Association of Privacy Professionals conference. Under former Chairman Jon Leibowitz, who retired earlier this year, the…
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FTC played an “instrumental” role in elevating the discussion over digital privacy, including more than 50 enforcement actions over the past three years, Ramirez said. The agency currently has consent decrees with Google and Facebook to improve their privacy practices. “We haven’t been shy about taking on the tech giants,” Ramirez said. “That has been just tremendous.” The FTC’s efforts have also shifted the focus on other privacy issues, including the trend of companies like Apple and Google issuing shorter and simpler privacy notices, she said. Ramirez wants the FTC to examine the privacy implications of Internet-connected devices, she said. “The reality is that increasingly, it won’t be long before everyday devices -- refrigerators, TVs … are going to be capturing all sorts of information about how we behave,” she said. “As these everyday devices end up collecting more information and end up being connected to the Internet, it’s more important for companies to take data security very seriously.” Ramirez wants the agency to at least hold a workshop addressing the issue in the coming months, she said: “I think it absolutely needs further study, and I certainly hope to make sure that the agency is looking at all of these new developments.”