FTC says it only has 40 employees overseeing privacy and data security

The Federal Trade Commission told Congress that it only has 40 full-time employees dedicated to overseeing internet privacy and data security and requested lawmakers give the agency more resources to adequately police tech companies. FTC Chairman Joseph Simons wrote in a letter to House leaders that the commission lags far behind other developed countries’ data watchdogs. Chairman Simons was responding to an inquiry from House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone Jr (D-NJ) and Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chair Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) asking if the agency needed more resources to police internet giants. The FTC chairman said that an additional $50 million would allow the agency to hire 160 new staffers, $75 million would get 260 and $100 million would get 360. Chairman Simons said that the additional staff would allow the commission to bring more privacy cases. He said that the current 40 employees have averaged about 20 cases a year over the past five years.