New proposed commercial surveillance regulations are poised to be unveiled by the Federal Trade Commission in the next few months amid concerns of misuse and data security gaps, reports The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.
Aside from compelling organizations to collect only necessary data and delete such information upon the conclusion of their business with customers, such rules would also ensure that organizations will be held liable for any algorithm-based decisions using consumer data, said sources close to the matter.
Such commercial surveillance regulations have long been awaited by data privacy advocates, with ACLU Senior Policy Counsel Cody Venzke noting that data collection and usage guardrails are crucial in upholding consumer privacy. "…[I]t's certainly a call to action for Congress to follow suit," said Venzke.
However, the upcoming rules could be subverted should Congress succeed in passing the draft American Privacy Rights Act that removes FTC regulations on commercial surveillance.
