WASHINGTON: U.S. Federal Commerce Commissioner Melissa Holyoak said Thursday the agency should examine how artificial intelligence products use data they collect from young users, amid concerns about privacy and security.

Holyoak, one of two Republicans on the committee who could become acting chairman after President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January, said the agency should review the authority it has to collect information on AI’s privacy practices regarding children.

Utah’s former solicitor general gave the example of children using AI services the same way older generations looked at a Magic 8 Ball fortune-telling toy, wondering: “Should- Should I go to the ball?”

“Who collects this? Who owns this information? Where does this information go?” Holyoak said during a speech at an American Bar Association antitrust meeting in Washington.

The FTC enforces the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, which regulates how platforms collect data from young users, and has sued TikTok for alleged violations.

The FTC is headed for a shakeup when its current chair, Lina Khan, resigns or is replaced by a Trump-appointed successor. Khan’s fight against corporate consolidation on behalf of consumers has gained supporters among Democrats and some Republicans, including Vice President-elect JD Vance. But she has drawn criticism from some in the business world for her aggressive approach.

Khan said greater scrutiny of transactions would discourage mergers that illegally harm competition.

Holyoak said the FTC should not take a dogmatic approach to mergers and acquisitions.

“Our goal is not to try to stop deals just for the sake of stopping deals,” she said.

Holyoak also said she thinks the FTC will lose its appeal defending the worker non-compete ban. Holyoak did not comment on vocal support for the ban from former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, Trump’s pick for attorney general.

“I think we could all benefit from intervention by the court and the Supreme Court on this issue,” she said.