The Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) Privacy and Data Protection Task Force signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) establishing a federal-state partnership on privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity enforcement.
According to the MOU, the FCC and CPPA “share close and common legal interests in working cooperatively to investigate and, where appropriate, prosecute or otherwise take enforcement action in relation to privacy, data protection, or cybersecurity issues.”
Through the partnership, the agencies can share expertise and resources, as well as coordinate efforts in conducting investigations to protect consumers.
“Consumers expect their privacy to be protected,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a release. “The data they share with companies or transmit on networks are too often targeted by bad actors or mishandled. Coordinated state and federal partnerships like this are essential to our privacy work.”
“Privacy is a necessary foundation for innovation in today’s connected world,” CPPA Executive Director Ashkan Soltani said. “We’re excited to partner with the FCC’s Privacy and Data Task Force to help increase trust and security in the digital marketplace.”
The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau has privacy and data protection partnerships with state attorneys general in Connecticut, Illinois, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, Delaware and Indiana. During investigations, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau and state investigators seek records, talk to witnesses, interview targets, examine consumer complaints, confer with experts and take other steps to build a record against possible threat actors.
The FCC offers partner states not only the expertise of its enforcement staff, but also resources and remedies to support state investigations. For example, the MOUs facilitate relationships with other federal agencies and provide support for and expertise with investigative tools including subpoenas and confidential response letters from suspected targets.