The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Privacy and Data Protection Task Force has announced partnerships with five new state attorneys general to improve investigations into data privacy and security.
The Oct. 21 announcement adds the attorneys general of Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, Delaware, and Indiana to the growing list of partners including Connecticut, Illinois, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia.
The states will partner with the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau on privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity matters to share expertise and resources and “coordinate efforts in conducting investigations to protect consumers.”
“Our Privacy and Data Protection Task Force continues to investigate data breaches, work with companies to improve their privacy, sensitive data, and cybersecurity protections, and pursue regulatory efforts to further protect consumers who increasingly rely on FCC-regulated services in their everyday lives,” Loyaan Egal, chief of the FCC Enforcement Bureau, said in a statement. “Cooperation with state partners is critical to this success, and I welcome our friends in Delaware, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont to this coalition.”
Under the partnership, the FCC and state attorneys general will work together to investigate, prosecute, and “take enforcement action in relation to privacy, data protection, or cybersecurity issues,” also noting that coordinated action and information sharing will occur in line with Federal and state laws, ensuring privacy protections.
Previous partnerships with states and the FCC have resulted in “measurable results in the robocalling space” and combine legal investigative and technical expertise with Federal resources to support state investigations, the FCC said.
“During investigations, both the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau and state investigators seek records, talk to witnesses, interview targets, examine consumer complaints, confer with experts, and take other critical steps to build a record against possible threat actors,” said the FCC.
The partnerships are overseen by the Privacy and Data Protection Task Force, created to focus on privacy and data protection issues. The task force is responsible for coordinating rulemaking, enforcement, and public awareness on privacy and data protection activities, according to the release.
“Consumers expect their data will remain private and that any exposure of their personal information will be addressed with urgency and accountability,” Jessica Rosenworcel, chairwoman of the FCC, said in a statement. “Success on this front requires strong partnerships between Federal enforcement officials and state leaders. I thank our partners for their dedication to protecting consumers’ privacy.”
