NEW YORK (AP) – The Federal Trade Commission is calling for legislation that would give citizens access to the information that commercial data brokers store about them.

The proposal is an unusually tough one from an agency that prefers to coax companies into adopting voluntary principles. A month ago, Obama administration officials outlined a proposed “Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights” and urged technology companies, consumer groups and others to jointly craft new protections.

In a privacy report released this week, the FTC is urging the adoption of a law that would let consumers access and dispute personal data held by information brokers, similar to the way consumers have free access to credit reports.

An investigation by The Associated Press last year found that data brokers often store incorrect or outdated information, including criminal records.

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