Social media and online video companies are engaging in extensive surveillance of their users, according to findings by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC's report indicates that these firms prioritize profit over consumer protection and privacy.

Calli Schroeder, global privacy counsel at Epic, commented on the findings: “I used to work in privacy compliance for companies, and let’s just say I believe absolutely nothing without documentation to back up claims. And I agree with the FTC’s conclusion that self-regulation is a failure. Companies have repeatedly shown that their priority is profit and they will only take consumer protection and privacy issues seriously when failing to do so affects that profit.”

The FTC's conclusions highlight ongoing concerns about how social media and online video platforms handle user data. This report adds to the growing debate over whether current regulations are sufficient to protect consumers' privacy rights.