FTC Chairman Warns US Tech Firms Against Compromising Security Amid EU Regulations
The chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Andrew Ferguson, addressed 13 major US tech platforms on Thursday, cautioning them against compromising user security and privacy in compliance with European and UK online regulations, including the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), reports 24brussels.
In a letter sent to tech giants such as Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon, along with smaller platforms like X, Signal, and Slack, Ferguson articulated concerns regarding foreign governments potentially undermining the free exchange of ideas. He stated that US citizens face challenges in asserting their rights to anonymous and private speech due to international laws compelling American firms to dilute data security measures.
“I am concerned that these actions by foreign powers to impose censorship and weaken end-to-end encryption will erode Americans’ freedoms and subject them to myriad harms, such as surveillance by foreign governments and an increased risk of identity theft and fraud,” Ferguson noted in the letter.
The letter specifically criticizes the EU’s DSA, which Ferguson describes as part of broader efforts by foreign entities aimed at pressuring US companies to either censor content or diminish user security.
In a thread posted on Elon Musk-owned X, Ferguson underscored that the “Trump-Vance FTC will not tolerate a new regime of surveillance and censorship designed in foreign capitals.”
This critique of the DSA coincides with a report from the US House of Representatives, authored by Congressman Jim Jordan, which condemned the DSA as a tool for censorship. Ferguson’s letter cites Jordan’s report, claiming the EU law “incentivi[s]es tech companies to censor speech, including speech outside of Europe.”
Under the DSA, substantial online platforms are burdened with obligations to effectively manage illegal content and mitigate the spread of harmful misinformation. However, the legislation does not explicitly mandate reductions in encryption standards or compromises in user privacy.
Furthermore, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) offers comprehensive protections for personal data, a level of oversight that the US notably lacks at the federal level.
Ferguson’s letter concludes by inviting US tech leaders to meet with the FTC to discuss how they intend to uphold privacy and security commitments to American consumers while navigating “competing pressures from global regulators.”
