FTC Should Ramp Up Tech Privacy Action, Departing Phillips Says

Federal Trade Commissioner Noah Phillips advocated for ramping up agency actions against tech companies that misuse consumer data as federal lawmakers continue to hash out potential privacy protections.

Phillips, who plans to step down this fall, called for a return to a “high pace of enforcement” cases brought over privacy concerns in a speech Wednesday at an event held by the National Association of Attorneys General, which represents state law enforcers. He cited the FTC’s $170 million settlement with Alphabet Inc.‘s YouTube and $5 billion settlement with Meta Platforms Inc.‘s Facebook as examples.

“We need to be enforcing ...