The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) hosted a workshop on “Consumer Injuries and Benefits in the Data-Driven Economy” on February 26, featuring economists and other experts who examined how the FTC can better evaluate consumer injuries and benefits resulting from the collection, use, or disclosure of consumer data. The five panels focused on: quantifying information injuries and benefits resulting from consumer data collection and use; the impacts of data breaches on consumers; the costs and benefits of behavior and contextual advertising; and measuring consumer preferences, beliefs, and decisions.  

Below we summarize the workshop and provide key takeaways.