Klobuchar Statement on FTC Actions on Vertical Merger Guidelines and Health Data Privacy

WASHINGTON - Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chairwoman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights, issued the following statement on the Federal Trade Commission's revocation of Trump-era vertical merger guidelines and the adoption of a policy statement affirming that health apps must notify consumers when their health data is breached.

'The Trump-era vertical merger guidelines were too lax. They ignored some of the harms that vertical mergers present and overemphasized the potential for speculative merger benefits. Vertical merger enforcement is of vital importance to restoring competition in so many sectors of our economy. The FTC's action today signals a return to more aggressive merger enforcement. I look forward to the FTC and Justice Department issuing revised guidelines that better reflect the impact of vertical mergers on competition and consumers.

'The FTC also took an important step by confirming that its data privacy standards apply to digital health apps. The message to big tech and developers is clear: you can't play fast and loose with some of the most sensitive and intimate personal information that we have. The FTC should aggressively use their enforcement powers to ensure that apps are alerting users to data breaches as we continue to work on privacy legislation on the Hill.'

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