FTC Issues Advance Notice Of Proposed Rulemaking On Commercial Surveillance And Data Security

At a press conference on August 11, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Commission) announced an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR), which was published, along with a fact sheet, to explore potential new rules governing what the FTC characterizes as prevalent "commercial surveillance" and "lax data security practices." The FTC issued the ANPR pursuant to its Section 18 authority under the Magnuson-Moss Act, which authorizes the Commission to promulgate, modify, and repeal rules that define with specificity unfair or deceptive acts or practices within the meaning of Section 5(a)(1) of the FTC Act. This broad and complex ANPR was published in the Federal Register on August 22 (87 Fed. Reg. 51273), and comments are due October 21, 2022. The FTC will host a public forum on September 8, 2022, featuring a structured panel discussion and an opportunity for stakeholders to share their views on the ANPR, subject to a two-minute time limit.