On Tuesday, the FTC announced the agenda for PrivacyCon, which is being billed as a “first-of-its-kind event” that will facilitate discussions between researchers and academics about privacy and security.  The FTC also released abstracts for the research that will be presented at the conference, scheduled for January 14.  PrivacyCon follows a call from the FTC last summer to “white hat” researchers and academics for papers on new vulnerabilities and how they might be exploited to harm consumers, as well as research in the area of big data, the Internet of things and consumer attitudes towards privacy.

The FTC has structured PrivacyCon as a series of panels revolving around presentation and discussion of original research.  The agenda includes the following five topical areas, which will cover presentations of 19 different research papers and studies:

  • The current state of online privacy
  • Consumers’ privacy expectations
  • Big data and algorithms
  • The economics of privacy and security
  • Security and usability

Presentations will include research on the Internet of Things, privacy policies, consumer privacy expectations, targeted advertising, medical privacy and genetic testing, discrimination in big data, the costs and causes of cybersecurity incidents, and the right to be forgotten.

In addition to panel discussions and research presentations, PrivacyCon will also feature a keynote address from FTC Commissioner Julie Brill, as well as closing remarks from FTC Chief Technologist Lorrie Cranor, who FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez appointed to this position in early December.

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Photo of Caleb Skeath Caleb Skeath

Caleb Skeath advises clients on a broad range of cybersecurity and privacy issues, including cybersecurity incident response, cybersecurity and privacy compliance obligations, internal investigations, regulatory inquiries, and defending against class-action litigation. Caleb holds a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification.

Caleb specializes…

Caleb Skeath advises clients on a broad range of cybersecurity and privacy issues, including cybersecurity incident response, cybersecurity and privacy compliance obligations, internal investigations, regulatory inquiries, and defending against class-action litigation. Caleb holds a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification.

Caleb specializes in assisting clients in responding to a wide variety of cybersecurity incidents, ranging from advanced persistent threats to theft or misuse of personal information or attacks utilizing destructive malware. Such assistance may include protecting the response to, and investigation of an incident under the attorney-client privilege, supervising response or investigation activities and interfacing with IT or information security personnel, and advising on engagement with internal stakeholders, vendors, and other third parties to maximize privilege protections, including the negotiation of appropriate contractual terms. Caleb has also advised numerous clients on assessing post-incident notification obligations under applicable state and federal law, developing communications strategies for internal and external stakeholders, and assessing and protecting against potential litigation or regulatory risk following an incident. In addition, he has advised several clients on responding to post-incident regulatory inquiries, including inquiries from the Federal Trade Commission and state Attorneys General.

In addition to advising clients following cybersecurity incidents, Caleb also assists clients with pre-incident cybersecurity compliance and preparation activities. He reviews and drafts cybersecurity policies and procedures on behalf of clients, including drafting incident response plans and advising on training and tabletop exercises for such plans. Caleb also routinely advises clients on compliance with cybersecurity guidance and best practices, including “reasonable” security practices.

Caleb also maintains an active privacy practice, focusing on advising technology, education, financial, and other clients on compliance with generally applicable and sector-specific federal and state privacy laws, including FERPA, FCRA, GLBA, TCPA, and COPPA. He has assisted clients in drafting and reviewing privacy policies and terms of service, designing products and services to comply with applicable privacy laws while maximizing utility and user experience, and drafting and reviewing contracts or other agreements for potential privacy issues.