Representatives from consumer, privacy and other public interest organizations urged President Obama on Monday to fill a vacant commissioner post at the FTC with someone who will uphold the agency's mandate of protecting American consumers. The Center for Digital Democracy, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Electronic Privacy Information Center, the World Privacy Forum and others signed a letter arguing that charge has "too often been ignored in the recent past." "The new commissioner should have a distinguished record of achievement in consumer affairs, with a demonstrated commitment to protecting the public from all manner of unfair, deceptive, fraudulent, and non-competitive monopolistic/oligopolistic business practices," the letter stated.

Given the key role the FTC plays in protecting the public in sectors like finance, health, privacy, and marketing, as well as competition, it is essential that the nominee have "an unassailable record of supporting the interests of the public," they said. They urged Obama to name someone who is committed to protect both consumer privacy and welfare with new media as online and mobile platforms grow in popularity. "Appointing a Commissioner with recent consulting or employment ties to the corporate sector would undermine consumer confidence in the agency." The FTC is "off to a promising start" under Chairman Jon Leibowitz and through the recent appointment of a highly regarded chief of the agency's consumer protection bureau, the watchdogs said.

Currently, the FTC consists of Leibowitz, a Democrat; Republicans William Kovacic and J. Thomas Rosch; and Pamela Jones Harbour, an independent.