FTC Chairwoman Majoras to Give Keynote Address
WASHINGTON D.C. – On Wednesday, May 10th, The Progress & Freedom Foundation's Securing the Internet Project will host "Securing the Internet: The Role of Consumers, Industry and Government." The full-day conference will explore the nature of security issues and the appropriate responses of individuals, business and the public sector. Deborah Platt Majoras, Chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission, will give the keynote address at the conference. Speaker panels, featuring experts from industry, academia, and government, will gather to discuss security best practices for all stakeholders in the debate.
Those panel experts include Robert Cresanti, recently confirmed U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology, who will be discussing the role of government in response to data security breaches, and Commissioner Bill Kovacic of the Federal Trade Commission. Canadian government official Peter Ferguson, Director of Electronic Commerce Policy with the Electronic Commerce Branch of Industry Canada, will present an international perspective of government responses to security. Ferguson is Chair of the OECD Working Party on Information Security and Privacy and former Chair and Vice-Chair of the APEC Electronic Commerce Steering Group. Marc Rotenberg of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) will represent civil society concerns for privacy. Other featured speakers include Ken Nahigian, Counsel for the Senate Commerce Committee and David Cavicke, General Counsel for the House Commerce Committee and Chief Counsel for the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection.
Majoras is expected to address the dynamic legal and enforcement environment facing the Commission in light of violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act and recent high-profile data mismanagement by firms. PFF's Distinguished Fellow Orson Swindle, Director of the Securing the Internet Project, served with Majoras on the Commission as a Commissionerprior to his retirement from the FTC last June.
The conference agenda will be comprised of four discussion panels, each concentrating on one specific stakeholder in information security but with each including panelists from government, industry and academia. The opening panel, "Defining Security Issues: Their Nature and Magnitude," will gather industry and academic leaders to present and overview of threats to e-commerce and web-based technologies. The final three panels, "Protecting Consumers: Who is Responsible," "The Role of Industry: Does Investing in Security Pay?," and "The Role of Government: What Can It Do?," will include a mix of academics, industry and government officials. Complete panel descriptions can be found on the PFF website.
"Securing the Internet: The Role of Consumers, Industry and Government" will be held at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill from 8:30am - 5:30pm. Lunch will be served and a reception concludes the event. Those interested in attending can register here. Questions concerning the event should be directed to Eileen Goulding at egoulding@pff.org or 202-289-8928. Media enquiries should be directed to Amy Smorodin at 202-289-8928 or asmorodin@pff.org.
The Securing the Internet Project, launched last November and led by Distinguished Fellow Orson Swindle, former FTC Commissioner, was established to promote dialogue on the issues of information privacy and security. The first report released by the project, "Managing Information and its Security: The Role of Policymakers, the Private Sector and Consumers," identified three key concepts deemed vital to future security solutions. These are: a commitment to the continued legitimate flow of information that drives today's commerce; an enhanced respect for individual privacy and a commitment to protect sensitive information; and effective means to minimize vulnerabilities to this vital part of our critical national infrastructure and security.
The Progress & Freedom Foundation is a market-oriented think tank that studies the digital revolution and its implications for public policy. It is a 501(c)(3) research & educational organization.
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