FTC Steps Up Activity On APEC Cross-Border Privacy Certification: Issues Warning Letters To 28 Companies Claiming Certification

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued warning letters to 28 companies that claim to be certified participants in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperative's (APEC) Cross-Border Privacy Rules (CBPR) system on their websites but, according to the FTC, do not appear to have met the necessary requirements to make that claim.

The APEC privacy system is a self-regulatory program applicable to data that moves among the APEC member economies. It includes a voluntary, but enforceable, code of conduct implemented by participating businesses. Under the system, companies can be certified as compliant with APEC CBPR program requirements based on nine data privacy principles: preventing harm, notice, collection limitation, use choice, integrity, security safeguards, access and correction, and accountability.