Washington, DC - It’s called PrivacyCon and the first-of-its-kind FTC event is scheduled for January 14, 2016.

The conference will examine trends in protecting consumer privacy, with a focus on original research findings. That’s why the FTC staff has put a call out to academics, white hat researchers, and other researchers who can add to the "What's on the horizon?" knowledge base about privacy.

We’re looking for research on emerging vulnerabilities, as well as studies on topics like big data, the Internet of Things, and consumer attitudes toward privacy. We plan to fill seats around the table with experts from a broad range of disciplines – data analytics, computer security, marketing, and economics, to name just a few. 

What’s the goal? To develop strategies for how researchers and policymakers can work together and to discuss steps companies and consumers can take to protect sensitive data.

PrivacyCon will be held at the FTC’s Constitution Center building, 400 7th Street, S.W., near the L’Enfant Plaza Metro. The event is free and open to the public – and we’ll be streaming it live.

Read the call for presentations. More about the agenda soon.