[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 84 (Thursday, April 30, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23961-23964]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-09158]


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FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(``PRA''), the Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'') is 
seeking public comment on its proposal to extend for an additional 
three years the Office of Management and Budget clearance for 
information collection requirements in the Privacy of Consumer 
Financial Information Rule (``Privacy Rule'' or ``Rule''). That 
clearance expires on November 30, 2020.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by June 29, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may file a comment online or on paper, by 
following the instructions in the Request for Comment part of the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below. Write ``Privacy Rule: 
Paperwork Comment: FTC File No. P085405'' on your comment and file your 
comment online at https://www.regulations.gov, by following the 
instructions on the web-based form. If you prefer to file your comment 
on paper, mail your comment to the following address: Federal Trade 
Commission, Office of the Secretary, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 
CC-5610 (Annex J), Washington, DC 20580, or deliver your comment to the 
following address: Federal Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary, 
Constitution Center, 400 7th Street, SW, 5th Floor, Suite 5610 (Annex 
J), Washington, DC 20024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Lincicum, Attorney, Division of 
Privacy and Identity Protection, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal 
Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20580, (202) 
326-2773.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title of Collection: Privacy of Consumer Financial Information 
(Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act Privacy Rule), 16 CFR part 313.
    OMB Control Number: 3084-0121.
    Type of Review: Extension without change of currently approved 
collection.
    Affected Public: Private Sector: Businesses and other for-profit 
entities.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 1,345,950.
    Estimated Annual Labor Costs: $30,363,151.
    Abstract:
    The Privacy Rule is designed to ensure that customers and 
consumers, subject to certain exceptions, will have access to the 
privacy policies of the covered financial institutions with which they 
conduct business--namely, motor vehicle dealers that do not routinely 
extend credit to consumers directly without assigning the credit to 
unaffiliated third parties (hereafter, ``motor vehicle dealers''). As 
mandated by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (``GLBA''), 15 U.S.C. 6801-6809, 
the Rule requires motor vehicle dealers to disclose to consumers: (1) 
Initial notice of the financial institution's privacy policy when 
establishing a customer relationship with a consumer and/or before 
sharing a consumer's nonpublic personal information with certain 
nonaffiliated third parties; (2) notice of the consumer's right to opt 
out of information sharing with such parties; (3) annual notice of the 
institution's privacy policy to any continuing customer; \1\ and (4) 
notice of changes in

[[Page 23962]]

the institution's practices on information sharing. These requirements 
are subject to the PRA. The Rule does not require recordkeeping. For 
PRA burden calculations, the FTC shares the PRA burden with the CFPB 
for financial institutions over which both agencies have enforcement 
authority under the CFPB's regulation corresponding to the Privacy 
Rule, titled Privacy of Consumer Financial Information (Regulation P), 
12 CFR pt. 1016, and attributes to itself the burden for all motor 
vehicle dealers. See 12 U.S.C. 5519.
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    \1\ On December 4, 2015, Congress amended the GLBA as part of 
the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (``FAST Act''). This 
amendment, titled Eliminate Privacy Notice Confusion (FAST Act, 
Public Law 114094, section 75001) added new GLBA section 503(f). 
This subsection provides an exception under which financial 
institutions that meet certain conditions are not required to 
provide annual privacy notices to customers. Section 503(f) requires 
that to qualify for this exception, a financial institution must not 
share nonpublic personal information about customers except as 
described in certain statutory exceptions, under which sharing does 
not trigger a customer's statutory right to opt out of the sharing. 
In addition, section 503(f)(2) requires that the financial 
institution must not have changed its policies and practices with 
regard to disclosing nonpublic personal information from those that 
the institution disclosed in the most recent privacy notice the 
customer received.
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    Burden Estimates:
    FTC staff estimates that approximately 29,500 non-motor vehicle 
dealer financial institutions are subject to FTC jurisdiction under 
Regulation P, consisting of approximately 29,000 established entities 
and 500 new entrants annually during the renewal period. The complete 
burden estimates for new entrants and established entities are detailed 
in the charts below.

1. Established Financial Institutions

    For established entities, staff believes that the model privacy 
form and the Online Form Builder reduce the time associated with 
providing required initial and annual notices. Businesses who have not 
changed their privacy notice since the last notice sent and who do not 
share information with non-affiliated third parties outside of certain 
statutory exceptions are not required to issue annual notices to their 
customers under GLBA section 503(f). FTC staff thus estimates that at 
least 80% of businesses covered by Regulation P will not be required to 
issue annual notices. Finally, staff estimates that no more than 1% of 
the estimated 29,000 established-entity respondents would make 
additional changes to privacy policies at any time other than the 
occasion of the annual notice.

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                                                                Approx.
                                               Hours per       number of     Approx. total                      Hourly wage and labor      Approx. total
                 Activity                     respondent      respondents     annual hrs.     FTC portion           category \3\            labor costs
                                                                  \2\
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Reviewing internal policies and developing               4          29,000         116,000          58,000  $38.55 Professional/              $2,235,900
 GLB Act-implementing instructions \4\.                                                                      Technical.
Disseminating initial notices to new                    15          29,000         435,000         217,500  17.19 Clerical..............       3,738,825
 customers.
Disseminating annual disclosure to pre-                 15           4,060          60,900          30,450  17.19 Clerical..............         523,436
 existing customers.                                     5           4,060          20,300          10,150  38.55 Professional/Technical         391,283
Updating privacy policies and related                    7             290           2,030           1,015  17.19 Clerical..............          17,448
 disclosures.                                            3             290             870             435                                         7,478
                                                                           -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals:...............................  ..............  ..............         635,100         317,550  ............................       6,914,370
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\2\ The estimate of respondents which are required to disseminate annual notices is based on the following assumptions: (1) 29,000 established
  respondents, approximately 70% of whom maintain customer relationships exceeding one year; (2) no more than 20% (4,060) of whom have made changes to
  their policies and share nonpublic information outside of the statutory exceptions, and therefore are required to provide annual notices under GLB Act
  section 503(f); and (3) and no more than 1% (290) of whom make additional changes to privacy policies at any time other than the occasion of the
  annual notice; and (4) such changes will occur no more often than once per year.
\3\ Staff calculated labor costs by applying appropriate hourly cost figures to burden hours. The hourly rates used were based on median wages for
  Financial Examiners and for Office and Administrative Support, corresponding to professional/technical time (e.g., compliance evaluation and planning,
  designing and producing notices, reviewing and updating information systems), and clerical time (e.g., reproduction tasks, filing, and, where
  applicable to the given event, typing or mailing) respectively. See BLS Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018, Table 1 at http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ocwage.pdf.
\4\ This includes all efforts performed by or for the respondent to: determine whether and to what extent the respondent is covered by an agency
  collection of information, understand the nature of the request, and determine the appropriate response (including the creation and dissemination of
  documents and/or electronic disclosures).

2. New Entrant Financial Institutions

    New entrant financial institutions subject to FTC jurisdiction 
under Regulation P must provide initial disclosure notices to their 
consumers, including taking the time to develop implementing policies 
and procedures and create disclosure documents to effectuate the 
disclosure requirements. Staff's estimates of annual burden for 
established entities is as follows:

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                                                                Approx.
                 Activity                      Hours per       number of     Approx. total    FTC portion       Hourly wage and labor      Approx. total
                                              respondent      respondent      annual hrs.                           category \5\            labor costs
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Reviewing internal policies and developing              20             500          10,000           5,000  $38.55 Professional/                $192,750
 GLB Act-implementing instructions.                                                                          Technical.
Creating disclosure document or electronic               1             500             500             250  17.19 Clerical..............           4,298
 disclosure (including initial, annual,                  2             500           1,000             500  38.55 Professional/Technical          19,275
 and opt-out disclosures).
Disseminating initial disclosure                        15             500           7,500           3,750  17.19 Clerical..............          64,463
 (including opt- out notices).                          10             500           5,000           2,500  38.55 Professional/Technical          96,375
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[[Page 23963]]

 
    Totals................................  ..............  ..............         240,000          12,000  ............................         377,161
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\5\ Staff calculated labor costs by applying appropriate hourly cost figures to burden hours, as described in footnote 3 above.

3. Established Motor Vehicle Dealers

    FTC has sole authority over motor vehicle dealers subject to the 
Rule. Staff estimates that approximately 44,000 auto dealers are 
subject to the Rule's requirements, consisting of 42,000 established 
dealers and 2,000 new entrants during the renewal period. FTC staff 
provides the following burden estimates for established motor vehicle 
dealers:

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                                                Approx. number                   Hourly wage and
           Activity                Hours per    of respondents   Approx. total   labor category    Approx. total
                                  respondent          \6\         annual hrs.          \7\          labor costs
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Reviewing internal policies                  4          42,000         168,000  $38.55                $6,476,000
 and developing GLB Act-                                                         Professional/
 implementing instructions.                                                      Technical.
Disseminating initial notices               15          42,000         630,000  $17.19 Clerical.      10,829,700
 to new customers.
Disseminating annual                        15           5,880          88,200  $17.19 Clerical.      1,516,158$
 disclosure.                                 5           5,880          29,400  $38.55                 1,133,370
                                                                                 Professional/
                                                                                 Technical.
Updating privacy policies and                7             420           2,940  $17.19 Clerical.          50,539
 related disclosures.                        3             420           1,260  $38.55                    48,573
                                                                                 Professional/
                                                                                 Technical.
                               ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals:...................  ..............  ..............         920,400  ................      20,054,340
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\6\ For this estimate, Commission staff relies on industry estimates based on census data and information from
  the National Automobile Dealers Association and National Independent Automobile Dealers Association.
\7\ Staff calculated labor costs by applying appropriate hourly cost figures to the burden hours described
  above. See BLS Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018, Table 1 at http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ocwage.pdf.

4. New Entrant Motor Vehicle Dealers

    FTC staff provides the following burden estimates for established 
new entrant motor vehicle dealers:

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                                   Hours per    Approx. number   Approx. total   Hourly wage and   Approx. total
           Activity               respondent    of respondents    annual hrs.    labor category     labor costs
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Reviewing internal policies                 20           2,000          40,000  $38.55                $1,542,000
 and developing GLB Act-                                                         Professional/
 implementing instructions.                                                      Technical.
Creating disclosure document                 1           2,000           2,000  $17.19 Clerical.          34,380
 or electronic disclosure                    2           2,000           4,000  $38.55                   154,200
 (including initial, annual,                                                     Professional/
 and opt-out disclosures).                                                       Technical.
Disseminating initial                       15           2,000          30,000  $17.19 Clerical.         515,700
 disclosure (including opt-out              10           2,000          20,000  $38.55                   771,000
 notices).                                                                       Professional/
                                                                                 Technical.
                               ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals:...................  ..............  ..............          96,000  ................       3,017,280
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    Estimated non-labor costs:
    Staff believes that capital or other non-labor costs associated 
with these information collection requirements are minimal. Staff 
anticipates that covered entities are already equipped to provide 
written notices (e.g., computers with word processing programs, copying 
machines, mailing capabilities). In addition, staff anticipates that 
entities that offer consumers the choice to receive notices via 
electronic format will already have an online presence to support this 
option. As such, these entities will already be equipped with the 
computer equipment and software necessary to disseminate the required 
disclosures via electronic means.
    Under the PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521, federal agencies must obtain 
approval from OMB for each collection of information they conduct or 
sponsor. ``Collection of information'' means agency requests or 
requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records, 
or provide information to a third party. 44 U.S.C. 3502(3); 5 CFR 
1320.3(c). As required by section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, the FTC is 
providing this opportunity for public comment before requesting that 
OMB extend the existing clearance for the information collection 
requirements contained in the Privacy Rule, 16 CFR part 313 (OMB 
Control No. 3084-0121).

Request for Comment

    Pursuant to Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, the FTC invites 
comments on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility,

[[Page 23964]]

and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.
    You can file a comment online or on paper. For the Commission to 
consider your comment, we must receive it on or before June 29, 2020. 
Write ``Privacy Rule: Paperwork Comment: FTC File No. P085405'' on your 
comment. Postal mail addressed to the Commission is subject to delay 
due to heightened security screening. As a result, we encourage you to 
submit your comments online. To make sure that the Commission considers 
your online comment, you must file it through the https://www.regulations.gov website by following the instructions on the web-
based form provided. Your comment, including your name and your state--
will be placed on the public record of this proceeding, including the 
https://www.regulations.gov website.
    If you file your comment on paper, write ``Privacy Rule: Paperwork 
Comment: FTC File No. P085405'' on your comment and on the envelope, 
and mail your comment to the following address: Federal Trade 
Commission, Office of the Secretary, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 
CC-5610 (Annex J), Washington, DC 20580, or deliver your comment to the 
following address: Federal Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary, 
Constitution Center, 400 7th Street SW, 5th Floor, Suite 5610, 
Washington, DC 20024. If possible, please submit your paper comment to 
the Commission by courier or overnight service.
    Because your comment will be placed on the public record, you are 
solely responsible for making sure that your comment does not include 
any sensitive or confidential information. In particular, your comment 
should not include any sensitive personal information, such as your or 
anyone else's Social Security number; date of birth; driver's license 
number or other state identification number, or foreign country 
equivalent; passport number; financial account number; or credit or 
debit card number. You are also solely responsible for making sure that 
your comment does not include any sensitive health information, such as 
medical records or other individually identifiable health information. 
In addition, your comment should not include any ``trade secret or any 
commercial or financial information which . . . is privileged or 
confidential''--as provided by Section 6(f) of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. 
46(f), and FTC Rule 4.10(a)(2), 16 CFR 4.10(a)(2)--including in 
particular competitively sensitive information such as costs, sales 
statistics, inventories, formulas, patterns, devices, manufacturing 
processes, or customer names.
    Comments containing material for which confidential treatment is 
requested must be filed in paper form, must be clearly labeled 
``Confidential,'' and must comply with FTC Rule 4.9(c). In particular, 
the written request for confidential treatment that accompanies the 
comment must include the factual and legal basis for the request, and 
must identify the specific portions of the comment to be withheld from 
the public record. See FTC Rule 4.9(c). Your comment will be kept 
confidential only if the General Counsel grants your request in 
accordance with the law and the public interest. Once your comment has 
been posted on the https://www.regulations.gov website--as legally 
required by FTC Rule 4.9(b)--we cannot redact or remove your comment, 
unless you submit a confidentiality request that meets the requirements 
for such treatment under FTC Rule 4.9(c), and the General Counsel 
grants that request.
    The FTC Act and other laws that the Commission administers permit 
the collection of public comments to consider and use in this 
proceeding as appropriate. The Commission will consider all timely and 
responsive public comments that it receives on or before June 29, 2020. 
For information on the Commission's privacy policy, including routine 
uses permitted by the Privacy Act, see https://www.ftc.gov/site-information/privacy-policy.

Josephine Liu,
Assistant General Counsel for Legal Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2020-09158 Filed 4-29-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6750-01-P