Washington (CNN Business)The Federal Trade Commission has announced that it may limit how businesses collect and use consumer data. We are considering whether to create some sweeping new regulation, a possible crackdown on commercial algorithms and a chaotic economy fueled by the personal information of millions of Americans.
On Thursday, the FTC announced it would be open to public comment on whether to draft a new data privacy rule.
It also targets what government officials describe as a constant stream of data breaches that have led to repeated breaches of consumer information in recent years, as well as businesses' handling of digital health data. . Scrutiny follows this year's Supreme Court decision to overturn federal abortion rights.
"Technological advances over the last few decades have brought enormous benefits, but also provided tools that allow for the permanent tracking and regular monitoring of individuals," says Khan. said at a press conference Thursday. “We all know companies that collect personal data about individuals on a large scale and in a staggering variety of contexts: where we are, our health, what we read online, people we meet, and things we buy.” 17}
An FTC study found recent U.S. trends in technology, including allegations that social media algorithms may be addictive or linked to harm to the mental health of young people. It focuses on a wide range of topics that dominate the discussion of There is also the potential economic damage caused by poorly trained algorithms, which can be unfairly biased based on characteristics such as race and gender, and the potential economic damage some companies may cause to consumers. I'm also looking for opinions on the techniques I use to entice people to give up.
FTC officials declined to say what the final rule would look like. Thursday's initiative is intended only to gather feedback on whether the FTC should proceed with drafting new regulations. methods are being considered. This includes restrictions on targeted advertising, rules governing the collection and storage of consumer data, or rules on transparency. Depending on the outcome, these new regulations could impact the core business models of many technology companies.
As the nation's premier privacy and data security watchdog, the FTC has broad powers to prosecute unfair and deceptive business practices. However, the agency rarely exercises its rulemaking powers, and the possibility of drafting new privacy rules reflects the unusual flexibility of the FTC's powers. At a press conference on Thursday, Mr Khan argued that the prevalence of potentially harmful business practices related to digital data shows the limits of litigation. , may not be able to adequately deter violations of the law or remediate the resulting damage," Khan said. It comes amid a rapidly advancing bipartisan proposal to overhaul the country's privacy laws and establish the country's first data privacy rights. Last month, a House committee approved legislation known as the American Data Privacy and Protection Act. The law specifically bans targeted advertising for children.However, the bill's future in the Senate remains uncertain.
Rep. Frank Pallone, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and author of the privacy bill, said the bill was still needed despite the FTC's action.
"The federal government should do everything in its power to protect consumers," Pallone said in a statement. “While we appreciate the FTC's efforts to use the necessary tools to protect consumers, we ask Congress to better prepare the FTC and other agencies to best protect consumers.
FTC Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya said Congress' bill was "the most powerful privacy-related piece of legislation ever to come close to passage." I hope it gets passed.I hope it gets passed soon.” Bedoya said that if the bill is passed, it will vote to approve only the FTC's privacy rules that complement the bill. I swore