The Federal Trade Commission of the US has scheduled the next hearings of its enquiry on “Competition and Consumer Protection in the 21st Century”.
Background: The FTC announced in June 2018 it would start a series of hearings on whether new technologies and international developments require adjustments to competition and consumer law and policy.
What’s new? Following the first round of hearings, which took place between September and October 2018 with prominent academics and industry figures, the FTC has announced five dates between 1 November 2018 and 12–13 February 2019. Topics include: vertical merger analysis; privacy, big data, and competition; algorithms and artificial intelligence; data security; and consumer privacy.
Where will this lead to? The FTC’s initiative is an effort to leave no stone unturned and ensure that regulation in the US is up to speed, so the evidence gathered in these hearings could lead to regulatory reform. Not just yet though, as the FTC notes that “Other hearing dates and topics will be announced”.
