Paper, Plastic . . . or Mobile? FTC announces agenda for April 26th workshop

Mobile devices are changing how people go about their daily lives, and that includes how they pay for stuff. As announced in January, the FTC is hosting a workshop on April 26, 2012, to examine the use of mobile payments in the marketplace and their effects on consumers. The workshop — which will be held at the FTC’s Conference Center at 601 New Jersey Avenue, N.W., in Washington, D.C. — is free and open to the public.  The agenda is now available.

What's up for discussion?  Consumer advocates, industry members, government representatives, technologists, and academics will talk about the opportunities and challenges that mobile payments pose for businesses and consumers.  The morning will kick off with an introduction to mobile payment technologies.  Next on the agenda:  a survey of the legal landscape and existing mechanisms for resolving disputes.

Panelists will then drill down into the security and privacy implications of mobile payments.  Questions they’ll explore: What steps are being taken to ensure that consumers’ financial information is stored and transmitted securely?  When someone uses a mobile payment service, what information is collected, by whom, and for what purpose?  How does this compare to existing mechanisms for making payments?

Throughout the day, the conversation will go global.  To learn from other countries’ experiences, panels will feature international participants and attendees will hear a presentation from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

We hope to see you in Washington on April 26th.  But if you can’t make it, watch the webcast and check the event page for updates.