Nestled deep in the middle of the alphabet soup of government agencies that inhabit Washington DC, there is one that can, and often does, have quite an impact on consumers’ lives in this country. It’s also one that evolves and adapts, as the economy changes.

The Federal Trade Commission enforces antitrust and consumer protection laws that affect people in many areas of commerce, like fraud and deceptive advertising. The FTC also has the ability to make legislative recommendations to Congress about issues that affect the economy.

But, lately, the FTC is spending more and more of its time on high tech.

Marketplace host Kai Ryssdal talks to the FTC’s Chairwoman Edith Ramirez.

Click the audio player above to listen to the interview.