WASHINGTON, D.C. — FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Privacy Commissioner of Canada Philippe Dufresne to strengthen information sharing and enforcement cooperation between the two regulators.
As the Commission explained in its announcement, telecommunications carriers today have access to vast amounts of personal information, which is stored and transmitted across complex networks that extend beyond traditional borders. “Cross-border enforcement cooperation helps to protect consumer privacy, data, and cybersecurity,” the FCC, which is responsible for implementing and enforcing U.S. communications law and regulations, explained.
In Canada, the Privacy Commissioner oversees compliance with the nation’s two federal privacy laws that set out the rules for how federal government institutions in Ottawa and certain businesses must handle personal information.
The agreement establishes the parameters for the two regulators to exchange information in order to enforce compliance with laws in both countries and to share knowledge and expertise on regulatory policies and technical efforts related to applicable laws.
“A top priority for the Commission is ensuring protection of consumer privacy, data protection and cybersecurity. This is especially important in today’s world, where access to consumers’ personal information is not limited by devices, or borders,” Rosenworcel said. “It is through strategic partnerships like these that our efforts to protect consumers and their personal information are strengthened even more.”
Dufresne added, “In a world where information flows transcend borders and jurisdictions, information sharing and enforcement cooperation with international partners is essential to protecting individuals’ fundamental right to privacy.”
