FTC Requesting Powers to Make Privacy Rules

At a recent Congressional hearing with the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee, all five commissioners of the FTC testified that need data privacy legislation, power to levy fine and more staff to protect data privacy of consumers. During the hearing, the commissioners stressed the importance of having a national data privacy law to solve the patchwork of state legislation. The laws need to address terms of use contracts for consumers and making data protections apply to companies based on the nature of the information they are collecting. The commissioners also asked for independent levy power. Currently, the FTC has to take offenders to court to request injunctive relief and settlement of fines with the offenders.