FTC Chair Lina Khan Addresses the Future of Privacy Regulation

Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan delivered remarks at the IAPP Global Privacy Summit last week on the future of data protection and privacy regulation. Khan addressed the digitization of the U.S. economy and the dramatic increase in data collection and surveillance, noting that Americans do not feel they have control over their own personal data. “The availability of powerful cloud storage services and automated decision-making systems, meanwhile, have allowed companies to combine this data across domains and retain and analyze it in aggregated form at an unprecedented scale—yielding stunningly detailed and comprehensive user profiles that can be used to target individuals with striking precision,” Khan said. Khan outlined her plan for the FTC to address today’s surveillance economy, which includes using the FTC’s authority to rein in abusive data practices, to counter dominant firms that cause widespread harm, and to institute privacy protections through both a consumer protection and competition lens. Chair Khan’s remarks cited several EPIC Advisory Board members, including Julie Cohen, Danielle Citron, Latanya Sweeney, and Woody Hartzog. EPIC recently urged the FTC to use its existing authorities to address unlawful data practices and establish a data minimization rule to protect consumers.