• by Dave Morgan , Featured Contributor, October 5, 2006

Several times in the past I've written about privacy and consumer protection issues because they are big issues that we need to understand better, for at least two reasons. One, our industry is maturing and we need to be more involved in public policy issues that can impact our futures; two, because consumers in general are increasingly more aware of privacy issues and much more concerned about what is being done with their user data. Against this backdrop, it is great news then that next month the Federal Trade Commission will be holding hearings on "Protecting Consumers in The Next Tech-ade."

Much like the FTC did ten years ago, it is bringing together a number of technologist, industry folks (disclosure: I am one of them), scholars, and analysts to present testimony on where we think consumer technology is going over the next ten years and if there will be issues that require some kind of consumer protection. Basically, the FTC wants to better understand how technological and business developments will shape the consumers' core online experiences.

Why am I writing about this? Because I think that you should care. You should care a lot. Our industry is becoming more and more consumer-centric right before our eyes. They were never able to control the information flow of offline analog media, but today, consumers have the tools and the growing sophistication to drive digital media and advertising. To them, it is all about "me." Add consumers to a robust and growing online ad business and a free-for-all marketplace with lots of opportunity for abuse of consumers rights and data, and you can be sure of one thing: regulations and regulatory bodies will be part of it. Our industry needs to grow up. Participating in the public policy process is part of the "growing up" of any and every industry.

Whether you are for or against government oversight, you cannot deny that it will be a big part of our business in the years to come, and will be needed to protect consumers from some of the practices and bad apples that we will certainly see. Given that reality, we should applaud the fact that the primary consumer regulatory body in the U.S., the FTC, is taking proactive steps to learn about what we do, how we do it, and what we think that future might look like. They want to listen. We should be prepared to talk, and we should be prepared to listen as well.

The Commission can tell us a lot about what consumer protection means and how we as an industry can best insure it with our own practices. We can make each others' lives in the future much, much easier if we talk and listen more today. Everyone that cares about this industry should find ways to get involved in this process, to have their voices and opinions heard. Go to the FTC Web site. Find out how to submit your own views of the future. Keep up on the hearings and their progress. Check in with your trade organizations and see if they are involved. Take an interest in the Commissions' findings and reports. The FTC is taking steps that will shape not only consumers' future, but yours as well. It is a good time to pay attention and get involved. You will certainly be living with the consequences later.