Federal Trade Commission

Latest News | Media Coverage | Resources | Internet and Consumer Privacy | Credit Reports

Latest News

• Eli Lilly Settles with FTC over Privacy Violation. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced a settlement in a case involving Eli Lilly's accidental disclosure of the email addresses of 700 people who were subscribed to a mental health information list. Under the terms of the settlement the company will increase existing security and create an internal program to prevent future privacy violations. However, as the disclosure was unintentional, no fines will be imposed upon the company. The public may submit comments on the settlement for 30 days, after which the Commission will decide whether to make it final. The FTC acted in response to a July 2001 ACLU complaint highlighting Eli Lilly's negligence. (Jan. 18, 2002)
  
  
• FTC Chairman Announces Privacy Agenda. On October 4, 2001, Timothy Muris, Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a new privacy agenda for the agency. The agenda calls for a 50% increase in privacy resources, improved privacy complaint handling, more protection for consumers from spam, telemarketing, pretexting and ID theft, and increased enforcement of privacy policies and existing laws such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The Chairman concluded, however, that it was "too soon" to recommend broad-based online privacy legislation. (Oct. 4, 2001)
  
  
• Privacy Groups File Updated Complaint at FTC, Allege Microsoft Passport Constitutes an "Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practice." At a press conference on August 15 at the National Press Club, EPIC, Junkbusters, the Center for Media Education, and other organizations announced the filing of an updated complaint (PDF) with the Federal Trade Commission containing new allegations about Microsoft Passport, and urged the Commission to open an investigation. Last month, the organization filed the original complaint (PDF) that was acknowledged (PDF) by the FTC. (Aug. 15, 2001)
  
  
• EPIC, Privacy Groups File Complaint at the FTC Regarding Windows XP. In a formal complaint (PDF) filed with the Federal Trade Commission, privacy and consumer groups allege that Microsoft is engaging in unfair and deceptive trade practices through the information collection capabilities of its new operating system.(Jul. 26, 2001)
  
  
• Privacy Coalition Meets with New FTC Chairman. On July 17, members of the Privacy Coalition, a non-partisan coalition of consumer, civil liberties, educational, library, labor, and family-based groups met with FTC Chairman Timothy Muris. The Coalition presented a letter to the Chairman with recommendations for future FTC action on privacy issues. (Jul. 17, 2001)
  
  
• EPIC Urges New FTC Chair to Focus on Privacy. EPIC and other public interest groups have sent a letter to Timothy Muris, the new Federal Trade Commission Chairman, urging him to take affirmative steps to protect individuals' privacy. (May 31, 2001)
  

Previous News

Media Coverage

• FTC Drops Call For New Internet Privacy Laws, by Carrie Kirby, San Francisco Chronicle, Oct. 5, 2001
• FTC Refocuses Privacy Agenda, by Jeffrey Benner, Wired News, Oct. 5, 2001
• FTC Will Not Seek New Privacy Laws, by Jonathan Krim, Washington Post, Oct. 5, 2001
• FTC Chief's New Privacy Agenda Attacked, by Brian Krebs, Newsbytes, Oct. 4, 2001
• FTC Backs Off Privacy Regs, Associated Press, Oct. 3, 2001
• FTC Plans to Abandon New Bills on Privacy, by John Schwartz, New York Times, Oct. 3, 2001
• FTC Chief To Outline Agency's Privacy Agenda, by Brian Krebs, Newsbytes, Oct. 2, 2001
• FTC to Drop Push for More Privacy Laws, by Edmund Sanders, Los Angeles Times, Oct. 2, 2001

Resources

Overview of FTC Statutory Authority to Protect Privacy.

Internet and Consumer Privacy

• The Federal Trade Commission held "computer database study" to examine personal information held by private companies used to locate individuals. A Public Workshop on Consumer Information Privacy was held on June 10-13, 1997.
  
  
  • EPIC submission to FTC.
  • Junkbusters submission.
  • Center for Media Education submission.
  • The Consumer Information Organization submission.
  • Privacy Times submission.
  • Voter's Telecomm Watch submission.
  • Center for Democracy and Technology submission.
    
    
• Following the P-TRAK controversy, the Senate Commerce Committee sent a letter to the FTC on the Lexis-Nexis P-TRAK problem and other "violations of consumer privacy rights."
• The FTC also held hearings in June 1996 on privacy issues. The conference report issued in December 1996 stresses "notice, choice, security, and access" but sidesteps major on-line privacy issues -- anonymity, spamming, sale of personal data. Transcripts from the hearings, June 4-5, 1996.
• EPIC Letter to FTC urging strong support for on-line privacy, December 14, 1995.
• Letter from Marc Klass to FTC supporting EPIC's call for an investigation of the direct marketing industry, Feb. 2, 1996.
• Remarks of FTC Commissioner Christine A. Varney before the Privacy & American Business Conference, Washington, D.C., October 6, 1996.
• Comments of FTC Commissioner Robert Pitofsky on Electronic Money, September 17, 1997.
• Remarks of FTC Commissioner Christine A. Varney before the Privacy & American Business Conference, Washington, D.C., November 1, 1995.

Credit Reports

The FTC is also empowered to enforce the Fair Credit Reporting Act.  

• Fair Credit Reporting Act. As amended by Public Law 104-208 (Sept. 30, 1996).
• FCRA facts from the Federal Trade Commission.
• The FTC Notice of Rights and Duties under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
• Public Interest Research Group, Mistakes Do Happen: Credit Report Errors Mean Consumers Lose, March 1998
• Previous text of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. (Does not include 1996 amendments)
• Information on contacting the credit bureaus.

Last Updated: January 24, 2002
Page URL: http://www.epic.org/privacy/internet/ftc/default.html