Sixth hearing on Competition and Consumer Protection in the 21st Century features disagreement over FTC’s enforcement priorities for consumer data.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently held the sixth hearing in its series of nine planned hearings on “Competition and Consumer Protection in the 21st Century.” Speakers, moderators, and panelists convened from November 6 to 8 to focus on several topics involving the intersection of competition with privacy and big data. Discussion (and disagreement) at the hearing covered the collection and use of consumer data, the role big data can play in supporting innovation and commercial growth, and attendant privacy and competition concerns. Panelists also touched on several related topics, including how antitrust laws should analyze and treat data, and the appropriate scope of US privacy regulation.