FTC Backs Tech Privacy Law To Protect User Data

Members of the Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday called on Congress to create a national privacy law that would regulate how big tech companies like Facebook and Google collect and handle user data. From a report: In testimony before the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on consumer protection, commissioners also asked Congress to strengthen the agency's ability to police violations, and for more resources and greater authority to impose penalties. Lawmakers are considering a national privacy law to regulate the collection and handling of user data, the most valuable currency of the internet economy. That debate is taking place while the F.T.C. is in settlement talks with Facebook after a 13-month investigation into privacy violations. The agency is expected to levy a $5 billion penalty on Facebook for violating a 2011 privacy settlement with the regulator.

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