The article emphasizes that a business cannot unilaterally change its privacy commitments after collecting user data. The FTC will continue to take action against companies that engage in unfair or deceptive practices, including those that secretly rewrite their privacy policies to use consumer data for product development. The article concludes by stating that there's nothing intelligent about obtaining artificial consent.
Key takeaways:
- Companies developing AI products have a continuous need for data, often sourced from their own userbases, but must balance this with privacy and data security policies.
- Companies may be tempted to change their privacy policies to use customer data more freely, but doing so surreptitiously could lead to legal issues.
- The FTC has a history of challenging deceptive practices related to changes in a company's privacy policy, citing examples such as Gateway Learning Corporation and a genetic testing company.
- The FTC will continue to take action against companies that engage in unfair or deceptive practices, including those that change their privacy policies or terms of service without proper notification or consent from users.