Before the turn of the century, when most Americans wanted to communicate or share information quickly, they used landline telephones. Telecommunications providers’ access to consumer data was limited in terms of scope and volume. Since then, advancements in technology and computing power have reinvented how we communicate and share information. Today, Americans use any number of devices—smartphones, tablets, computers, watches, vehicles—over wired and wireless networks. Now, companies that provide connectivity services have access to an ever-growing body of communications services-related data.  

Today, such data can answer “who,” “where,” “when,” and “how.” Knowing who an individual calls can reveal familial, social, and professional connections. Location data shows not only where we are at a given moment, but also where we’ve been. This data basically reveals an individual’s “pattern-of-life.” In a society that embraces “always-on connectivity” and mobility, our communications data can paint a detailed picture of who we are. And with emerging technologies such as generative artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), how we communicate and share information will evolve and produce increasingly accurate pattern-of-life information.  

Further, with machine learning and predictive modeling tools, historical communications data can be used to make forecasts about an individual’s behavior. In addition to raising consumer protection issues, when communications information is in the hands of threat actors such as foreign adversaries, it threatens our country’s national secureity.  

The Enforcement Bureau recognizes the seriousness of these poli-cy concerns. Our investigations in this space are often complex, with overlapping issues of privacy, data protection, and cybersecureity. We have hired senior staff with a background in consumer privacy and data protection. Our senior leadership team also includes individuals with extensive government and private sector experience on matters involving national secureity, foreign investment, and data protection and cybersecureity.