Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

Public Comments: October 2007 - Consensus Document, Do Not Track Proposal

Ten privacy and consumer groups, including the World Privacy Forum, unveiled a consensus document outlining key consumer rights and protections in the behavioral advertising sector. The document is directed toward the Federal Trade Commission, and urges the FTC to take proactive steps to adequately protect consumers as online and other forms of behavioral tracking and targeting become more ubiquitous. The consensus document was filed with the Secretary of the FTC and its commissioners. Behavioral advertising is the focus of the FTC's eHavioral Advertising Town Hall meeting taking place November 1-2 in Washington, D.C. The network advertising sector has a self-regulatory plan, the Network Advertising Initiative, in place, and has had this plan in place since 2000. The consensus document addresses the many areas where the NAI plan has failed to protect consumers.

President's Identity Theft Task Force: World Privacy Forum requests that medical identity theft be added to task force agenda

Identity Theft -- The World Privacy Forum filed comments and recommendations with the President's Identity Theft Task Force. The task force's draft report and recommendations did not include or contemplate medical identity theft solutions for victims; the WPF has requested and recommended that this be corrected. Medical identity theft victims need more help, more recourse, and agency attention.

Public Comments: September 2006 Proposed Regulations on Identity Theft Red Flags and Address Discrepancies Under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003

Medical identity theft is both an information crime and a health crime. In this crime, a victim’s medical identity is stolen or appropriated in some way. Victims’ financial life may be impacted, and there may be other complicating factors. Medical identity theft occurs when someone uses a person’s name and sometimes other parts of their identity – such as a Social Security Number-- without the victim’s knowledge or consent to obtain medical services or goods, or when someone uses an individual’s identity to obtain money by falsifying claims for medical services and falsifying medical records to support those claims.

World Privacy Forum Comments on "Red Flag" Guidelines for Identity Theft, Requests Addition of Medical Identity Theft to Red Flag Rule

Identity theft | medical identity theft -- The World Privacy Forum filed comments with the Federal Trade Commission, the Treasury, and other federal agencies today regarding the joint draft rule on "Red Flags" for identity theft. In its comments, the World Privacy Forum requested that medical identity theft be added to several aspects and portions of the proposed rule. Adding medical identity theft to the rule is essential to help close gaps in protection for consumers and to encourage health care providers to attend to victims' challenges and needs regarding medical identity theft.

Public Comments: August 2006 - FTC Complaint About Search AOL Data Releases

Internet privacy -- The World Privacy Forum announced today that it would be filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission about the posting by AOL of a portion of its users’ search data on the Internet. While the data was not expressly identified by name, the search queries themselves included in some cases personally identifiable information such as individuals’ names, Social Security Numbers, and myriad other personal information. The World Privacy Forum urges consumers to take precautions when using search engines.

World Privacy Forum Announces Plans to File FTC Complaint About AOL Search Data Release

Internet privacy -- The World Privacy Forum announced today that it would be filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission about the posting by AOL of a portion of its users’ search data on the Internet. While the data was not expressly identified by name, the search queries themselves included in some cases personally identifiable information such as individuals’ names, Social Security Numbers, and myriad other personal information. The World Privacy Forum urges consumers to take precautions when using search engines.

FTC to Conduct New Identity Theft Survey; World Privacy Forum Submits Comments

Identity theft -- The World Privacy Forum submitted comments in response to the Federal Trade Commission's request for feedback on its upcoming identity theft survey. The FTC identity theft survey is one of the most quoted surveys on the subject. The World Privacy Forum requested changes and clarifications to the survey, including adding questions about security breach notices and clarifying existing questions about medical identity theft, among other issues.

Public Comments: January 2006 - Identity theft survey

The World Privacy Forum submitted comments in response to the Federal Trade Commission's request for feedback on its upcoming identity theft survey. The FTC identity theft survey is one of the most quoted surveys on the subject. The World Privacy Forum requested changes and clarifications to the survey, including adding questions about security breach notices and clarifying existing questions about medical identity theft, among other issues.

Public Comments: February 2005 - Demonstrated Consumer Risk due to Online Link Blocking by www.AnnualCreditReport.com. Fifty “Live ”Imposter” Domains Luring Consumers Away from the Official Free Credit Report Site

We request that the Federal Trade Commission take immediate steps to correct the credit bureaus’ implementation of the Web site www.annualcreditreport.com. As you know, Congress mandated that the credit bureaus create a central repository for consumers to access their credit report free of charge on a once-per-year basis.

World Privacy Forum and Privacy Rights Clearinghouse ask the FTC to immediately stop credit bureaus from blocking web links to www.annualcreditreport.com

The World Privacy Forum and the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse sent a letter to the FTC today requesting the agency immediately take steps to protect consumers in advance of the March 1 rollout of free credit reports to Midwestern U.S. residents.

Press Release: Call Don't Click II: Why it's smarter to order a federally mandated credit report via the phone instead of the internet

A new report issued today by the World Privacy Forum in advance of the March 1 rollout of free credit reports to Midwestern U.S. residents shows that consumers may be better off calling or mailing for their federally mandated free credit report instead of going online for it.