FTC Officials Urge Action On Privacy

Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz and his colleague, independent member Pamela Jones Harbour, told a privacy workshop Monday that the time is ripe for action to improve consumer data privacy both online and offline. "I'd argue that we're at another watershed moment in privacy, and that the time is ripe for the commission to build on the February behavioral targeting principles and to take a broader look at privacy writ large," said Chairman Leibowitz. Both Chairman Leibowitz and Commissioner Harbour noted that the Internet has enabled much broader and deeper collections of personal information. The officials said that posting privacy policies on a Web site and offering consumers the choice to opt out may not be enough since most consumers do not read or understand such notices.