Scott Delacourt Comments on FTC Hearings on Antitrust and Consumer Protection Policy

September 14, 2018

Scott D. Delacourt, partner in Wiley Rein’s Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Regulation, Privacy & Cybersecurity, and Telecom, Media & Technology practices, was quoted in a Washington Internet Daily article about the FTC’s series of public hearings on antitrust and consumer protection policy, which began September 13.

The article points to growing data privacy concerns and FTC Chairman Joe Simons’ decision to model the hearings after pivotal events in 1995 as signs that a major policy shift could be happening. In 1995, the FTC held similar hearings the year it changed its policy in response to challenges surrounding the “world wide web,” specifically online deception and fraud.

Mr. Delacourt told Washington Internet Daily that the FTC is now the lead federal privacy regulator, which raises important questions about the agency’s authority and whether it has the appropriate regulatory tools.

"It will be interesting to see if the Commission -- and particularly the Chairman -- articulates a positive agenda on data privacy and security through the hearings or whether it is a listening tour."