The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced an upcoming workshop titled "The Attention Economy: How Big Tech Firms Exploit Children and Hurt Families." The event is scheduled for May 28 at the FTC headquarters in Washington, D.C., and will also be available online.
This workshop aims to bring together parents, child safety experts, and government leaders to discuss how major technology companies employ addictive design features that undermine parental authority and fail to shield children from harmful content. Discussions will include potential solutions such as age verification and parental consent requirements.
"Protecting kids online is a priority of the Trump-Vance FTC – and hosting this workshop will make that very clear," said FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson. "I look forward to hearing from some of the leading policy experts in this space as we continue to explore ways the FTC can support families."
The event is set to begin at 9 a.m. ET at the FTC’s headquarters located at 600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, D.C. 20580. Those wishing to attend in person must register beforehand. Registration details will be available on the event page prior to the workshop, and a link for live streaming will be posted on FTC.gov on the day of the event.
The FTC invites those interested in participating as panelists or who have relevant expertise to email AttentionEconomy@ftc.gov by April 30, 2025. However, substantive comments are not being sought at this time.
Further details about speakers and the agenda will be made available on the event page before the workshop takes place.
The Federal Trade Commission's mission includes promoting competition and protecting consumers through education. They emphasize that they do not demand money or make threats regarding financial transactions. Consumers can learn more about related topics or report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. For ongoing updates, follow the FTC on social media or subscribe to their press releases.
