FTC's McSweeny Discusses Ransomware, Open Internet, in C-SPAN Interview

The recent WannaCry ransomware attack underscores questions about providing software and hardware patches, who has the responsibility for installing them and the role of high-level executives in organizations for understanding and appropriately investing in cybersecurity (see 1705150008, 1705160038 and 1705180032), said FTC Commissioner Terrell McSweeny in an interview on C-SPAN that was slated to be televised over the weekend on The Communicators. The commissioner discussed the agency's role in providing guidance for organizations and individuals to protect against such threats, and its enforcement role if organizations don't adequately protect consumer data. McSweeny noted the FTC's role in an expanded interconnected ecosystem that includes wearables, home devices like smart TVs and cars and efforts to give consumers a say in whether their personal data should be collected. The FTC, she said, needs additional resources and technologists to keep pace with evolving technology, how the tech works and how new uses could harm consumers. McSweeny, a Democrat, said the FCC's push to undo the open internet order (see 1705180029) could tilt the playing field toward a few large broadband providers that may want to prioritize their own content at the expense of small, entrepreneurial players. She seemed hopeful the recent 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' decision to rehear the agency's case against AT&T Mobility (see 1705100063) will "fix an error" made by a three-judge panel that effectively removed the FTC's oversight of broadband providers. She said Congress needs to clarify the commission's jurisdiction in this area (see 1705190053).