Remarks of J. Howard Beales, III, Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission, Before the 2003 Symposium on the Patriot Act

I am delighted to be here this morning. Among the many issues confronting law enforcers today, consumer privacy and cybercrime are among the most challenging. The Federal Trade Commission’s (“FTC”) role as the nation’s chief consumer protection agency requires us to focus carefully on these, and a whole host of consumer protection, issues, using the unique tools available to us. Even as we track trends and adopt new technologies, our fundamental mission remains the same: to identify the most egregious forms of fraud and deception; to bring cases, on our own and with our law enforcement partners; and to educate ourselves about emerging issues, the industry about complying with the law, and consumers about how best to protect themselves from fraud and deception.
Today, I want to discuss the FTC’s efforts to address consumers’ concerns about personal privacy and the critical role that online and offline security play in that program.