Blog Posts Tagged with Research

Over the past year, I have spoken to a large number of researchers at conferences (see for example my keynote presentation at SOUPS 2016) and in my visits to universities, and I have talked with them about the FTC’s mission to improve the welfare of US consumers. Many researchers have asked me how they can help.

With the FTC’s 2017 PrivacyCon event on January 12 and various other privacy-related events in the area that week, Washington, DC will see an influx of Privacy Researchers in early January. Given this short-term wealth of privacy experts, we’re taking the opportunity to host a pre-PrivacyCon networking event on January 11, 2:30 to 4:30 pm.

With the stroke of a pen, the Librarian of Congress has authorized security researchers who are acting in good faith to conduct controlled research on consumer devices so long as the research does not violate other laws such as the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA). This temporary exemption to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) begins today. The new temporary exemption is a big win for security researchers and for consumers who will benefit from increased security testing of the products they use.

In order to protect consumers in our tech economy, we could use the help of some smart and creative technologists. That’s why I’m headed to Las Vegas this week with members of the Office of Technology Research and Investigation and other FTC folks to attend BSidesLV and DEF CON. We want to learn from security and privacy researchers and let them know about our research interests.

As we recently announced, the Federal Trade Commission will host a public workshop on September 15, 2016 to examine the testing and evaluation of disclosures that companies make to consumers about advertising claims, privacy practices, and other information. Our goal is to encourage and improve the evaluation and testing of disclosures by industry, academics, and the FTC.

Calling all Technologists! The FTC has job opportunities available in its newly formed Office of Technology Research and Investigation (OTRI), an office designed to expand the FTC’s capacity to protect consumers in an age of rapid technological innovation.