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The Federal Trade Commission has announced the final agenda for its October 30 workshop in Washington, D.C., “Follow the Lead: An FTC Workshop About Online Lead Generation,” which begins at 8:30 a.m.

Lead generators identify or cultivate consumer interest in a product or service, and sell the consumer “lead” information to third parties. For example, as consumers search the Internet for goods and services, they may express interest in specific topics, such as educational programs, mortgages, or small-dollar loans, and submit their personal information to the lead generator. The consumer leads sometimes contain sensitive personal and financial information that may travel through multiple online marketing entities before reaching the desired business.

The workshop will discuss consumer protection issues raised by the practices of the lead generation industry. The day-long program will feature presentations and panel discussions with industry representatives, consumer groups, law enforcement agencies, and others with expertise on these issues. It will also include remarks from FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Jessica Rich.

Full details are available on the workshop’s webpage. The workshop will be webcast live on the FTC’s website. Full details are available on the workshop’s webpage. It will be held in the Constitution Center auditorium, 400 7th Street SW. The agenda and panelists are as follows:

7:45 a.m. Registration
8:30 a.m.

Welcome
Katherine Worthman
Attorney, Division of Financial Practices, FTC

Opening Remarks
Jessica Rich
Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, FTC

8:45 a.m.

Panel 1:  Introduction to Lead Generation Marketplace and Mechanics

This panel will provide an introductory overview of lead generation, including the roles of lead generators and related entities, the mechanics of collecting and selling leads, and the potential benefits and risks associated with this activity.

Moderator:    Evan Zullow
Attorney, Division of Financial Practices, FTC

Panelists:

Michael Ferree
Director & Board Member, LeadsCouncil

David Morgan
Chief Revenue Officer, PerformLine, Inc. 

Paul McConville
Chief Revenue Officer, LeadiD

Liad Wagman
Faculty Chair & Associate Professor of Economics
Illinois Institute of Technology, Stuart School of Business

Jonathan Gillman
Founder & CEO, Omniangle Technologies

10:15 a.m.

Panel 2: Case Study on Lead Generation in Lending

This panel will discuss how lead generation is used in the lending industry, including the use of an auctioning process known as a “ping tree” and other models.  Panelists will also discuss related consumer protection issues.

Moderator:    Katherine Worthman
Attorney, Division of Financial Practices, FTC 

Panelists:

Pam Dixon
Founder & Executive Director, World Privacy Forum

John Henson
Vice President & Head of Compliance, LendingTree, Inc.

Tim Madsen
President, PartnerWeekly LLC

Glenn McKay
Co-founder, President & CEO, Selling Source LLC

Aaron Rieke
Director of Tech Policy Projects, Upturn

Break – 11:15-11:30 a.m.

 

11:30 a.m.

Panel 3: Case Study on Lead Generation in Education

This panel will focus on how lead generation works in the education marketplace, similarities and differences from lending and other verticals, and consumer protection issues related to education marketing by lead generators.

Moderator:    Brian Shull
Attorney, Division of Financial Practices, FTC

Panelists:

Jeff Appel
Deputy Under Secretary of Education, U.S. Department of Education

Nathan Blake
Assistant Attorney General, Iowa Department of Justice

Daryl Colwell
Senior Vice President, Matomy Media Group

Jonathan Gillman
Founder & CEO, Omniangle Technologies

David Halperin
Attorney

Amy Sheridan
CEO, Blue Phoenix Media

12:30 p.m. LUNCH
1:30 p.m.

Panel 4: Overview of Consumer Protection Concerns & the Legal Landscape

This panel will focus on the consumer protection issues raised by lead generation – as discussed in the case studies and as exist in other verticals. Panelists will also discuss the applicability of the FTC Act and other legal principles. 

Moderator:    Sandhya Brown
Assistant Director, Division of Financial Practices, FTC 

Panelists:

Marty Collins
SVP of Corporate Development, Legal & Compliance
QuinStreet, Inc.

Pam Dixon
Founder & Executive Director, World Privacy Forum

Ed Mierzwinski
Consumer Program Director, US Public Interest Research Group

Jonathan Pompan
Partner, Venable LLP

R. Michael Waller
Attorney, Division of Enforcement, FTC

2:30 p.m.

Panel 5: Looking Ahead – Protecting & Educating Consumers

This panel will focus on the steps both industry members and regulators can take to better protect consumers, and information and strategies for improving consumer understanding of lead generation and avoiding problematic practices.

Moderators: Malini Mithal
Acting Associate Director, Division of Financial Practices, FTC

Patrick Eagan-Van Meter
Financial Technology Program Specialist, Division of Financial Practices, FTC

Panelists:

Joseph J. Chambers
Assistant Attorney General, State of Connecticut Office of the Attorney General

Greg Gragg
Chairman & CEO, Blue Chair, LLC

Peter Marinello
Vice President, Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.

Lisa McGreevy
President & CEO, Online Lenders Alliance

David Morgan
Chief Revenue Officer, PerformLine, Inc.

Kim Taylor
Co-Founder & CEO, Ranku, Inc.

3:45 p.m.

Closing
Malini Mithal
Acting Associate Director, Division of Financial Practices, FTC

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.

Contact Information

MEDIA CONTACT:
Frank Dorman
FTC Office of Public Affairs
202-326-2674