Deborah Platt Majoras, Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), is the 2007 recipient of the Privacy Leadership Award for her ongoing commitment to consumer privacy.

Majoras received the award last month in Washington, D.C., during the IAPP Privacy Summit 07, which drew more than 1,000 global privacy professionals for three days of education, networking and certification.

"Chairman Majoras has demonstrated an enduring commitment to consumer privacy during her tenure," said IAPP Board President Kirk M. Herath, CIPP/G, Associate Vice President, Chief Privacy Officer and Associate General Counsel, Nationwide Insurance Cos. her leadership, the FTC's approach to privacy has focused on preventing and addressing harms to consumers from the misuse of their sensitive data and other unlawful practices. The Chairman has better protected consumers with a combination of balanced law enforcement, consumer and business education, and partnerships with other agencies and the private sector."

Since 2001, the FTC has brought 14 cases against businesses that have failed to provide reasonable data security to protect consumer information. The FTC also has:

• Brought 89 law enforcement actions for unfair and deceptive practices related to spam;
• Filed 10 law enforcement actions against spyware distributors;
• Obtained more than $1.8 million in civil penalties to settle allegations of violations of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act;
• Pursued 25 actions against telemarketers that have failed to comply with the National Do Not Call Registry; and
• Pursued six cases against seven companies and nine individuals for obtaining and selling consumers' confidential telephone records to third parties.

Sworn in on Aug. 16, 2004 as Chairman, Majoras joined the FTC from Jones Day in Washington, D.C., where she served as a partner in the firm's antitrust section. While at Jones Day, she worked on a variety of antitrust counseling and civil and criminal litigation matters, including mergers and acquisitions, monopolization, price-fixing, distribution issues, and governmental investigations. Majoras also was a member of the firm's technology issues practice and has participated in a variety of non-antitrust commercial disputes and criminal cases, including fraud, securities violations, and employment discrimination.

In April 2001, Majoras was appointed Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division. She was named principal deputy in November 2002. During her three-year tenure, she oversaw matters involving numerous industries including software, financial networks, defense, healthcare, media and entertainment, banking and industrial equipment.

Captions:

Sandra R. Hughes, CIPP, Global Privacy Executive, Procter & Gamble and Vice President, IAPP Board of Directors (left) presents Deborah Platt Majoras, Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, with the IAPP's Privacy Leadership Award.

FTC Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras speaks before conference attendees and media during the closing plenary luncheon.

Quote:

"Finding the right balance between the need to collect, use and store information and the need to provide adequate privacy and security protection seems to be at the heart of being a privacy professional. This is a challenge for every privacy pro - indeed, for every organization.

"Privacy and security issues are dynamic and evolving. The FTC's core mission, however, remains constant - protecting consumers from harm. Privacy and security will remain at the top of our consumer protection agenda. I look forward to working together with privacy professionals on future privacy and security challenges."
- Federal Trade Commission Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras, as delivered to Summit