After helping The Washington Post translate National Security Agency documents leaked by Edward Snowden, Ashkan Soltani has been appointed as researcher and consultant for the Federal Trade Commission.
Soltani will serve as the FTC's chief technologist and is tasked with reviewing the policies of private organizations for possible invasions of consumer privacy. He was appointed by Chairwoman Edith Ramirez.
"I'm extremely excited to return to the FTC in a new role as chief technologist and help move forward the agency's work in protecting consumers' privacy and security," Soltani stated. "I hope to leverage my experience and expertise in emerging technologies to help advance Chairwoman Ramirez's goal of safeguarding consumers' privacy, while ensuring they can reap the benefits of new innovations."
Soltani's role with the FTC could extend beyond reviewing the privacy policies of businesses and the litigation that grows around questionable interpretation of those guidelines. The reach of the FTC's probes, which have recently gone after the likes of Amazon and Google over in-app purchases, extends beyond privacy protections and into the ways companies make use of the data collected from consumers.
"Technology and online and mobile platforms are continuing to evolve at a rapid pace and will remain a key focus for the FTC, as more and more consumers adopt mobile devices and tablets," Ramirez stated. "I am pleased to welcome Ashkan to our talented team where he will play a vital role in continuing our important work on behalf of American consumers."
Soltani has assisted The New York Times and has served as a consultant at Sophos, a security firm. But it was his work with The Washington Post that may have earned him the most prominence before the world's eyes. The security consultant continued collaborating with The Washington Post, well after the Snowden revelations.
"Ashkan has been a tremendous contributor to our journalism, helping us navigate some of the most important, sensitive, and complex subjects of our time," said Washington Post Executive Editor Marty Baron. "We are incredibly sorry to lose him as a colleague, but we understand fully why his talents would be coveted by others. We wish him well."
The one-time privacy researcher moves into the spot vacated by Latanya Sweeney, who is said to be preparing for a return to academia at Harvard's Data Privacy Lab, which she founded and directs. Soltani previously worked at the FTC as a staff technologist in 2010 and 2011 and also served as a technical expert for the Commission.
"I am very grateful to Latanya Sweeney for her outstanding work and public service on behalf of consumers, and particularly for her leadership in strengthening the Commission's efforts to better protect sensitive consumer information," stated Ramirez.
