October 01, 2025

Episode 49: Part 1 - Jon Leibowitz and the FTC's role during the early Google Era

39 minutes

Host Alan Chapell is joined by Jon Leibowitz, former chair of the FTC to discuss the Commission's impact on the digital media landscape from 2004 until 2013. In part 1 of the discussion, Chapell and Mr. Leibowitz talk about the FTC's COPPA rethink, the DNT standard, some early FTC attempts to rethink journalism, and some of the antitrust and privacy enforcements against big tech during his tenure. Jon Leibowitz' bio may be found here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Leibowitz.

Takeaways

The FTC’s push for “Do Not Track” showed how hard it is to get industry consensus on privacy.

Global Privacy Control may succeed where “Do Not Track” failed, as cookies phase out.

COPPA’s update made pseudonymous data count as personal data, reshaping online advertising.

Age verification measures create new risks, even while aiming to protect children.

Industry self-regulation (like ad icons) fell short, with state laws setting stronger standards.

The FTC’s “bully pulpit” speeches often influenced industry behavior more than enforcement.

Google’s acquisitions (DoubleClick, AdMob, etc.) raised competition questions but were welcomed by much of the ad industry.

The tension between innovation, regulation, and consumer protection continues to shape digital advertising.

Chapters
00:00 Introductions & Setting the Scene
03:00 Achievements at the FTC: Early Digital Ad Regulation
08:00 The Rise and Stall of “Do Not Track”
15:00 Protecting Kids Online & COPPA’s Redefinition of Data
24:00 Self-Regulation vs. State Regulation in Ads
32:00 Antitrust and Google’s Expansion
40:00 Closing Reflections on Innovation and Oversight

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