The Federal Trade Commission’s newly streamlined process for writing rules could clear the way for regulating how companies protect consumer data privacy.
The procedural changes announced Thursday are meant to simplify some of the steps involved in writing rules governing unfair or deceptive business practices. This long and complex rulemaking process has constrained the FTC’s ability to hold tech companies responsible for protecting consumer data.
One of the updates gives the commission greater control over rulemaking by allowing its chair to oversee the process, rather than relying on an administrative law judge. The FTC also eliminated requirements for publishing a ...