February 2011: CFPB Website Launches

Each day this week, we will feature information about an important milestone in the establishment of the new consumer bureau. Today’s post – the first in the series – is about the launch of ConsumerFinance.gov.

Almost six months before the consumer bureau’s “designated transfer date” of July 21, 2011, the CFPB implementation team launched ConsumerFinance.gov.

The website aims to open up a line of communication with people across the country. The team will reach out for ideas, input, and feedback on the work already underway and on new initiatives commencing in the weeks, months, and years ahead. The site will also serve as a source of information about what the new consumer bureau is up to, trying to provide as much visibility as possible about its development. In addition, the site will be a valuable tool in recruiting talent to join the staff of the CFPB.

One component of the new website is an application for communicating directly with the American people: “Open for Suggestions.” This feature encourages communication directly with the CFPB implementation team through YouTube video questions, but suggestions can also be accepted through e-mail and other forms of online communication. Comments from the public will help the CFPB implementation team understand what consumers and financial services providers need and will inform the work of the consumer bureau.

The website also features an interactive display of Elizabeth Warren’s appointment calendar – one of the items most frequently requested by the public – and an animated video narrated by Ron Howard to introduce the CFPB and to explain the important role it will play.

The CFPB is America’s first 21st-century consumer agency, and this website – though still only in its beta phase – is one way the consumer bureau can introduce itself to the American public.