Consumer Protection in the Digital Age

The Federal Trade Commission is the US government’s leading consumer protection agency. The agency can take action against businesses that deceive consumers or unfairly place them at risk, and its reach stretches from advertising to privacy practices across broad sectors of the economy. As advanced technologies have become ubiquitous in our lives, the FTC’s mission has required a greater appreciation of technical practices. This increased technical focus has permeated nearly all aspects of the agency and, in recent years, has led to the introduction of both a Chief Technologist and the Office of Technology Research and Investigation (OTech).

This talk will provide an introduction to the FTC, including what the agency does and how it operates. We will discuss some of the FTC’s relevant recent activity before moving on to the role of OTech and its research. Finally, we will explore the important role that outside researchers can play in promoting consumer welfare.

Joseph A. Calandrino is the Research Director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Office of Technology Research and Investigation. The FTC is the US government’s primary consumer protection agency. Dr. Calandrino’s office explores the evolving impact of technology on consumers, examining topics such as consumer fraud, online advertising, financial technologies, and connected devices. He is the author of numerous refereed research publications, and he has spoken on security, privacy, and consumer protection issues in a variety of venues. Prior to joining the FTC, Dr. Calandrino provided technical consulting services, including leading a company’s security and privacy consulting practice and serving as an expert in a variety of legal disputes.

Dr. Calandrino received his doctorate in Computer Science from Princeton University, where he was advised by Edward W. Felten. His graduate research focused heavily on the privacy and security risks created by emerging technologies, from electronic voting systems to recommender systems. He holds master’s degrees in Computer Science from both Princeton University and the University of Virginia, and he received a BS in Computer Science and Mathematics from the University of Virginia.