It is no secret that “Big Data” offers revolutionary potential for companies, and already many are pushing the limits with more targeted marketing and customer intelligence gathering. Now the Federal Trade Commission is working to carve out a role as the protector of consumer privacy as companies ramp up those Big Data efforts.
In an August speech to the Technology Policy Institute, an influential think tank that focuses on innovation and technological change, FTC Chairman Edith Ramirez suggested that her agency should use its authority to regulate the evolution of Big Data and ensure “rigorous privacy safeguards.” “Like a vigilant lifeguard, the FTC’s job is not to spoil anyone’s fun but to make sure that no one gets hurt,” she told the audience. “The time has come for businesses to move their data collection and use practices out of the shadows and into the sunlight,” she said.
