This statement can be attributed to Chris Mohr, President, Software & Information Industry Association.
SIIA is extremely concerned by the direction the Federal Trade Commission is taking in the policy statement issued this morning advancing a completely novel approach to policing unfair methods of competition (UMC). It represents a dramatic shift from established precedent and exceeds the Commission’s enforcement authority.
The Commission’s statement will affect businesses of all sizes in many industries, not just the tech and information industries. The new policy:
- Violates the FTC Act by assuming powers that the Congress has never granted, either explicitly or implicitly;
- Fails to provide clear guidance to businesses about how to navigate the new boundaries of what may or may not constitute illegal conduct;
- Reflects a radical shift for the Commission away from its decade-long focus on protecting the welfare of consumers; and
- Raises doubts about the current FTC majority’s commitment to due process and the rule of law.
Chair Kahn has publicly committed to transparency. It is therefore deeply concerning that the Commission has issued this statement without any input from the public and dramatically shifted the Commission’s approach in a manner that creates significant business and consumer uncertainty. We strongly recommend that the Commission commence a formal process to seek input from consumer and business stakeholders and rescind the statement pending public input.
That quote begins a film by my friend Jaclyn O’Laughlin titled How Long Must We Wait. It’s a historical documentary about the 72-year battle that women fought to get the right to vote in the United States—and it’s especially resonant on this Election Day week. The hour-long film just won best documentary feature at the Arlington International Film Festival just outside Boston. You can watch it 
Keep communication lines open. When we interviewed Endeavor Business Media CEO Chris Ferrell back in 2020, he said he tries to “call a handful of [staff] each week that I don’t normally talk to and ask where the company could be supporting them more and what they might need. My direct reports I talk to every week, of course. But we’re doing that throughout the organization, making sure people are not falling through the cracks [during that challenging time] and people are getting the support they need.” It will be interesting to hear if Ferrell and Endeavor have continued that style now that the pandemic has eased—and with the key acquisitions they’ve made.
Be authentic. This is not a check box; it’s something you have a passion for, Elizabeth Green, CEO of Brief Media, told us in June, explaining how she got involved with Mission Rabies. “It wasn’t a big strategic process; it was much more organic and serendipitous.” A discussion led to a partnership. “Partnering with a not-for-profit was among the best things we ever did.” Take a step back from “we are making a difference” to look at the overall impact your commitment is having—on staff, company growth, retention, recruitment, she said. “We’re not seeing the Great Resignation at Brief Media,” Green added. “The younger generation is demanding [this type of action] in the workplace.”
What customer problem are you solving? “One thing we launched was a presentation center,” Kevin Turpin, president, National Journal, told us once, explaining that by talking to their customers they discovered a huge need. “They were being asked to explain Washington in more detail. They knew the content but needed a workable format. We’re actually very good at that. Take what happened in midterm elections and create a 40-page sllde deck out of it. We’re still doing that for board meetings of Fortune 500 companies.”
Listen to your staff/members. Bibiana Campos Seijo, editor-in-chief and VP of C&EN Media Group, American Chemical Society, gave credit to her team for their Trailblazers program, which highlights rising ACS members from under-represented communities. It happened because the magazine staff felt it was important to do—not because she told them it needed to be done. In addition, the ACS inclusivity guide was developed by a committee of volunteers. Because people felt strongly about getting it done, they were able to do it.
Get the proper tools to help diversify. “Our mission is to provide overall leadership and guidance to the broadcasting industry,” said Michelle Duke, president of the National Association of Broadcasters Leadership Foundation and NAB chief diversity officer. “This means providing leadership management tools, skills, training and resources to all broadcasters so that they can realize the benefits of making their workforces more diverse and inclusive.”
