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ARTICLE · 01 APRIL 2015

FTC Creates Office Of Technology Research & Investigation

Strasburger & Price, L.L.P.
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The Federal Trade Commission appears poised for more enforcement actions related to new technologies.

United StatesConsumer Protection
Debra L. Innocenti
Debra L. Innocenti
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The Federal Trade Commission appears poised for more enforcement actions related to new technologies. On, March 23, 2015, The FTC announced on its Business Blog the formation of the Office of Technology Research and Investigation (the "OTRI").1. The FTC reports that the OTRI "will take on an even broader mandate [than the Mobile Technology Unit created a few years ago] and be staffed with additional technologists."

FTC job notices describe the OTRI as building upon the work of the Mobile Technology Unit "by tackling an even broader array of investigative research on technology issues involving all facets of the FTC's consumer protection mission, including privacy, data security, connected cars, smart homes, algorithmic transparency, emerging payment methods, big data, and the Internet of Things."2

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