FTC chair wants clearer disclosures to protect privacy

Online service providers need to do a better job telling users what information will be gathered about them and how it will be used, a top official at the U.S. Federal Trade Commission said Wednesday.

“It’s crucial to provide some form of notice, like in the initial set-up of a device or app, about what information is collected, how it’s used, and with whom it’s shared,” said Edith Ramirez, chairwoman at the FTC.

Companies collect a staggering amount of personal data via apps and online services, and they’re doing so in in increasingly sophisticated ways. But most people still don’t understand what data is collected, and cryptically-worded privacy policies don’t help.

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