The FTC Should Reward, Not Penalize, Companies that Innovate in Good Faith

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed a lawsuit against Amazon.com, alleging that the company had failed to set sufficiently tight controls for purchases made by children while using mobile apps. This is despite the fact that Amazon broke no law or rule in implementing their new 1-click technology, which improves efficiency for online purchases. Instead of using lawsuits to punish companies after the fact, the FTC should use its own rule making authority or urge Congress to act, when looking to address specific issues related to the use of new innovative technology. Doing otherwise circumvents the democratic process, reduces transparency, and limits innovation.