The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has unveiled its new five-year strategic plan, covering Fiscal Years 2026-2030, which introduces significant modifications to its mission statement and operational focus. Among the key changes, the regulator has reinstated the phrase “without unduly burdening legitimate business activity” into its mission, while simultaneously elevating children’s online safety to a paramount consumer protection issue.
Strategic Shift in Mission and Regulatory Philosophy
FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson, in a message accompanying the plan released Friday (April 3), stated that the reintroduction of the ‘without unduly burdening’ clause reflects ‘our commitment to end overregulation of American businesses that compete fairly and deal honestly with consumers.’ This modification to the mission statement, part of the ‘Federal Trade Commission Strategic Plan: Fiscal Years 2026-2030,’ signals a refined regulatory approach.
Prioritizing Children’s Digital Well-being and Online Safety
A central and newly emphasized tenet of the updated strategic plan is the explicit addition of language dedicated to protecting children online. Chairman Ferguson underscored the critical importance of this focus, stating it is ‘one of the most important consumer protection issues of our time.’ The plan details several avenues for safeguarding minors in the digital realm:
- COPPA Enforcement: The FTC highlights its ongoing efforts to enforce the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which forbids specified website operators from collecting, using, or disclosing children’s personal data without parental consent.
- Leveraging the Take It Down Act: The regulator is exploring its new authority under the Take It Down Act, signed into law in 2025. This act criminalizes the publication of nonconsensual intimate deepfakes and imposes stringent takedown obligations on covered platforms.
- Educational Resources: The strategic plan also notes the FTC’s continued publication of online safety tips designed for both parents and children.
Enhanced Performance Metrics and Budgetary Requests
Beyond policy, the FTC’s new plan addresses internal operational improvements. Ferguson highlighted that ‘we have improved our performance metrics by eliminating those that were not providing actionable data and by adding an improved cost-benefit metric that will clearly measure the FTC’s value to the American taxpayer.’ This aims to enhance accountability and demonstrate agency efficiency.
In conjunction with the strategic plan, the FTC announced on Friday its submission of the fiscal year 2027 budget request to Congress. The request seeks $426.71 million and 1,183 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions for that fiscal year. This figure uses the fiscal year 2025 enacted appropriations level for fiscal year 2026 as its baseline, which was $425.70 million and 1,183 FTEs.
The comprehensive strategic plan outlines a forward-looking agenda for the FTC, balancing a renewed commitment to fostering legitimate business activity with an intensified focus on safeguarding vulnerable populations, particularly children, in the evolving digital landscape. The budgetary request underscores the resources deemed necessary to execute these priorities effectively over the coming five years.
