Internet Policy Task Force

IPTF Members The Commerce Department Office of the Secretary, leveraging the expertise of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (“NTIA”), the Patent and Trademark Office ("PTO"), the National Institute of Standards and Technology ("NIST), and the International Trade Administration (“ITA”), has created an Internet Policy Task Force to conduct a comprehensive review of the nexus between privacy policy, copyright, global free flow of information, cybersecurity, and innovation in the Internet economy.

Recognizing the vital importance of the Internet to U.S. innovation, prosperity, education and political and cultural life, the Commerce Department has made it a top priority to ensure that the Internet remains open for innovation. The newly created Internet Policy Task Force will identify leading public policy and operational challenges in the Internet environment. The Task Force leverages expertise across many bureaus, including those responsible for domestic and international information and communications technology policy, international trade, cyber security standards and best practices, intellectual property, business advocacy and export control.

Task Force Initiatives

Privacy (NTIA, ITA, NIST)
Copyright (PTO, NTIA)
Global Free Flow of Information (ITA, NTIA)
Cybersecurity (OS, NIST, NTIA)

Remarks of Assistant Secretary Strickling at Multistakeholder Meeting on Commercial Facial Recognition Technology

Remarks of Lawrence E. Strickling
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information
Privacy Multistakeholder Meeting on Commercial Facial Recognition Technology

February 6, 2014

—As Prepared for Delivery—

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NTIA to Convene First Facial Recognition Technology Multistakeholder Meeting

February 5, 2014

This week, the Commerce Department is taking an important step in our campaign to drive innovation and better protect consumer privacy in the digital economy. On Thursday, the agency’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will bring together representatives from technology companies, trade groups, consumer groups, academic institutions and other organizations to kick off an effort to craft privacy safeguards for the commercial use of facial recognition technology.

This initiative is the second “multistakeholder process” launched by NTIA to implement the Obama Administration’s consumer data privacy framework. The centerpiece of that framework is the Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights, which lays out high-level principles for protecting consumer privacy in today’s networked world. The multistakeholder processes will establish voluntary, enforceable codes of conduct to apply the Bill of Rights in specific business contexts.