FTC and Seven International Partners Launch New Initiative to Boost Cooperation In Protecting Consumer Privacy

The Federal Trade Commission and enforcement agencies from seven other countries launched a new information-sharing system that will enable them to better coordinate international efforts in protecting consumer privacy. On Oct 25, FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez joined representatives from several agencies, which are members of the Global Privacy Enforcement Network (GPEN), in signing a Memorandum of Understanding among users of the new system, called GPEN Alert. The signing took place at the 37th International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners in Amsterdam. GPEN Alert is a multilateral system that will enhance coordination by enabling participants to confidentially share information about investigations. The GPEN Alert technology is based on the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network, a system that enables member US law enforcement agencies to access complaints that consumers provide to the FTC and other data contributors. The seven international partners joining the FTC as initial participants in GPEN Alert are:

Australia: Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
Canada: Office of the Privacy Commissioner
Ireland: Office of the Data Protection Commissioner
Netherlands: Data Protection Authority (“College Bescherming Persoonsgegevens”)
New Zealand: Office of the Privacy Commissioner
Norway: Data Protection Authority (“Datatilsynet”)
United Kingdom: Information Commissioner’s Office