On June 14, 2023, the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced the establishment of a new Privacy and Data Protection Task Force (“The Task Force”) at the FCC. The Task Force is an FCC staff working group that will coordinate on the rulemaking, enforcement, and public awareness needs in the privacy and data protection sectors. According to the Chairwoman, the Task Force will bring “technical and legal experts together from across the [FCC] to maximize coordination and use the law to get results—by evolving [FCC’s] policies and taking enforcement action”.
The FCC plays an active role in consumer data privacy through rulemaking, enforcement, and investigations. For example, it leads investigations into the use of customer location data, oversees vendors’ retention and the protection of sensitive data, and issues rules that counteract the exploitation of network and software vulnerabilities leading to cyber intrusions. The Task Force will have input in several ongoing efforts at the FCC, including the modernization of data breach rules and their enforcement, as well as countering supply chain vulnerabilities involving third-party vendors servicing regulated communications providers.
According to a special webpage dedicated to the Task Force on the FCC’s website, the Task Force includes FCC Offices and Bureaus which lead various policy, legal, and public service needs of the FCC, including the Enforcement Bureau (the Task Force is led by Enforcement Bureau Chief Loyaan A. Egal), Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, Space and Media Bureaus, and Offices of International Affairs, Engineering and Technology, and Economics and Analytics.
Although it is known that the Task Force convened for the first time last week, few specifics about the meeting’s outcomes are available to the public. The Chairwoman mentioned that the Task Force will help with the development of rules to counter SIM-swapping fraud, play an important role in FCC’s work under the 2022 Safe Connections Act, and assume responsibility for some geolocation information breach investigations.
The establishment of the Task Force indicates the FCC’s firm commitment to ensuring accountability within the telecommunications sector when it comes to safeguarding customers’ confidential information. Staying up to date with the Task Force’s developments will be crucial in maintaining compliance, building trust with customers, and mitigating potential legal risks.
We will closely monitor the Task Force’s activities and provide you with timely updates and guidance on how to align your privacy practices and data protection measures with the evolving regulatory landscape. Our goal is to ensure your company remains compliant, protects customer privacy, and maintains a strong reputation in the telecommunications industry.
If your company has questions about its data privacy obligations under federal laws and FCC rules, please contact Linda McReynolds at lgm@commlawgroup.com.
