ESIGN Workshop Agenda

Draft: March 29, 2001

PLEASE NOTE: This agenda is a draft only. The agenda is a work in progress and may be updated.

April 3, 2001
FTC Headquarters Room 432
600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington D.C.

This workshop is part of the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (“NTIA”) effort to gather information to report to Congress on the benefits and burdens of § 101(c)(1)(C)(ii) of the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (“ESIGN”) which authorizes the use of an electronic record to send legally required information to consumers if the consumer consents or confirms consent “in a manner that reasonably demonstrates that they can access the information.” Congress mandated this report under § 105(b) of ESIGN and required the submission of this study by June 30, 2001.

Through this workshop we hope to advance our understanding of the benefits and burdens to businesses and consumers resulting from the consumer consent provision of § 101(c)(1)(C)(ii). The workshop will consist of moderated round table discussions with representatives from industry, government, consumer advocate groups and other interested parties. We hope to foster discussion about best practices in obtaining electronic consent and to allow workshop participants to demonstrate their best practices, and the technologies that are available for companies to obtain consumer consent.

Technology Exhibits: Throughout the workshop, attendees may visit technology exhibits in the overflow room.

Audio Broadcast (April 3, 2001 Only) (free RealPlayer is available) You can email questions and comments to the participants during the day on April 3rd, to the following address: esignmail@ntia.doc.gov. We will be reviewing the email questions as they come in, and presenting them to the participants, as appropriate.

8:30 - 9:00	Registration
9:00 - 9:05	Opening remarks Jodie Bernstein, Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission
9:05 - 9:30	Setting the Stage: What are the Issues? Moderator: Eileen Harrington, Associate Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission This session will identify the relevant issues regarding § 101(c)(1)(C)(ii) of ESIGN, explore the areas of consensus, controversy and disagreement, and set the stage for the rest of the day's discussion. Panelists:
	Margot Saunders, National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) Jerry Buckley, Counsel for Electronic Financial Services Council (EFSC) Benham Dayanim, Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, LLP
9:30 - 10:30	Legal Issues Moderator: April Major, Attorney, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission A moderated roundtable discussion to explore the legal issues that face all parties when implementing the consumer consent provision found in § 101(c)(1)(C)(ii) of ESIGN. Panelists:
#	Margot Saunders, National Consumer Law Center Jerry Buckley, counsel for Electronic Financial Services Council Benham Dayanim, Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, LLP Elizabeth Yen, Hudson Cook Robert A. Wittie, Kirkpatrick & Lockhart LLP, on behalf of Investment Company Institute (ICI) Jane Stafford, Wachovia Bank Mark MacCarthy, Visa Payments Systems Jeff Wood, Household Bank
10:30 - 10:45	Break
10:45 - 11:45	Technology Issues Moderator: Fran Nielson, PhD, Senior Computer Scientist, National Institute of Science and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce Technical Expert: William Burr, Manager, Security Technologies Group, Computer Security Division, NIST, U.S. Department of Commerce This moderated roundtable discussion will explore the technology issues and the available software and computer technologies that enable companies to employ the consumer consent provision. Panelists:
#	Christopher Smithies, Selwood Research Michael Laurie, Silanis Technology Mark Bohannon, SIIA Thomas Wells, b4bpartner Virgina Gobats, NewRiver James Brandt, VeriSign Jane Winn, professor of law Dr. Bruce E. Brown, iLumin Thomas Greco, Digital Signature Trust Margot Saunders, NCLC
11:45 - 1:00	Lunch
1:00 - 3:00	Benefits and Burdens Moderator: Kathy Smith, Chief Counsel, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), U.S. Department of Commerce Economists:
#	Keith Anderson, Bureau of Economics, Federal Trade Commission Lee Price, Deputy Under-Secretary for Economic Affairs, Economics and Statistics Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce This moderated roundtable discussion will focus on the benefits and burdens to consumers and businesses of ESIGN's consumer consent requirement, set forth in § 101(c)(1)(C)(ii). The workshop will also explore whether the benefits outweigh the burdens. Panelists:
	Mark MacCarthy, Visa Payments System Michael Laurie, Silanis Technology Paul Gallagher, Fidelity Elizabeth Yen, Hudson Cook Jane Winn, professor of law Gail Hillebrand, Consumers Union Behnam Dayanim, Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, LLP Thomas Wells, b4bpartner John Buchman, E*Trade Bank Jeremy Newman, Selwood Research Margot Saunders, NCLC Wendy Weinberg, NACAA Jerry Buckley, EFSC
3:00 - 3:15	Break
3:15 - 4:15	Best Practices Moderator: Eileen Harrington, Associate Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission This will be a moderated roundtable discussion from the standpoint of both businesses and consumers. We will also explore whether similar best practices apply to all industries or whether some are industry-specific. Panelists:
#	Virginia Gobats, NewRiver Gail Hillebrand, Consumers Union Margot Saunders, NCLC Robert A. Wittie, Kirkpatrick & Lockhart LLP, on behalf of Investment Company Institute (ICI) Mark Bohannon, SIIA Jeff Wood, Household Bank Jane Stafford, Wachovia Bank Dr. Bruce E. Brown, iLumin Wendy Weinberg, NACAA Paul Gallagher, Fidelity
4:15 - 4:55	Public Participation Public attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions and offer insight on the day's dialogue.
4:55 - 5:00	Closing: What's next? U.S. Department of Commerce