NTIA Calling for Policies That Would Disincentivize Commercial Data Exploitation

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has recommended that companies have limitations in harvesting and selling online user data.

NTIA was responding to the Federal Trade Commission‘s request for advice on developing an online privacy network. The NTIA submitted a document that discussed how data is collected from online users and outlines the issues data collection entails, including user security, personal privacy and business competition.

The NTIA recommends policies that would disincentivize commercial surveillance and data exploitation and claims that a business model built on behavioral advertising is harmful to individuals and small businesses that cannot adopt the same model, Nextgov reported Tuesday.

The NTIA also called for algorithmic disgorgement penalties to prevent businesses from profiting off machine learning algorithms derived from user information obtained through deceptive tactics. The NTIA also recommended protections for health data collected by external organizations, which are not subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

The agency said the FTC lacks resources to restrict health data brokering but has made efforts to resolve the issue.

Alan Davidson, the assistant secretary of commerce for communications and information and the administrator of the NTIA, said strong privacy rules will make the internet safer for users. He added that companies need to be controlled as to what they can do online and that the NTIA supports the FTC’s efforts to put data collection rules in place.