The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced that it will hold a workshop on April 26 to examine the use of mobile payments and how this emerging technology impacts consumers.

Open to consumer advocates, industry representatives, government regulators, technologists and academics, the free workshop will examine a range of issues. This includes the technology, business models used in mobile payments, the consumer protection issues raised and the experiences of other nations where mobile payments are more common.

Topics may include:

• What different technologies are used to make mobile payments and how are the technologies funded (e.g., credit card, debit card, phone bill, prepaid card, gift card, etc.)?
• Which technologies are being used currently in the U.S., and which are likely to be used in the future?
• What are the risks of financial losses related to mobile payments as compared to other forms of payment?
• What recourse do consumers have if they receive fraudulent, unauthorized and inaccurate charges? Do consumers understand these risks? Do consumers receive disclosures about these risks and any legal protections they might have?
• When a consumer uses a mobile payment service, what information is collected, by whom, and for what purpose? Are these data collection practices disclosed to consumers? Is the data protected?
• How have mobile payment technologies been implemented in other countries, and with what success? What, if any, consumer protection issues have they faced, and how have they dealt with them?
• What steps should government and industry members take to protect consumers who use mobile payment services?

The FTC is also inviting comments from the general public, including research, surveys and academic papers – all of which can be submitted here.