FTC, California Office of Privacy Protection to Co-Host Workshop for Businesses on Best Practices for Protecting Personal Information and Securing Data

The Federal Trade Commission and the California Office of Privacy Protection will co- host a half-day public workshop in Los Angeles on Wednesday, August 13, 2008, on how businesses can secure personal information and protect the privacy of consumers and employees.

The workshop, “Protecting Personal Information: Best Practices for Business,” is presented in partnership with the International Association of Privacy Professionals and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. It features business people, attorneys, government officials, privacy officers, and other experts who will provide practical guidance for businesses of all sizes on data security, privacy, best practices for developing an appropriate data security program, and responding to data breaches and other privacy and security problems.

The workshop follows a recommendation from the President’s Identity Theft Task Force, co-chaired by the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, which called on federal agencies to improve their efforts to educate the private sector on safeguarding consumers. A report issued by the Task Force recommended regional seminars to help small businesses and others in the business community understand the importance of safeguarding information, preventing and reporting data breaches, and assisting identity theft victims. The report is available at available at http://www.idtheft.gov/reports/StrategicPlan.pdf.

The workshop will be held in the Ronald Reagan State Building, starting at 9:30 a.m. It is free and open to the public. On-site registration begins at 8:30 a.m. For information about advance registration, go to http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/workshops/infosecurity/index.shtml.

As part of its business education program, the FTC has information to help businesses forge their own data security plans, including an online tutorial, a booklet, and a series of articles suitable for reprinting in print or electronic newsletters. All are available at http://www.ftc.gov/infosecurity.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,500 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s Web site provides free information on a variety of consumer topics.

(FYI data security)