Can Facebook and Google’s new federal watchdogs regulate tech?

Facebook and Google must answer to new cops on the beat – a group of five fresh Washington regulators at the Federal Trade Commission who have the power to punish Silicon Valley if it misbehaves. But veterans of the 103-year old watchdog say that the agency increasingly runs the risk of being outmatched by the very tech giants it oversees without more cash, cutting-edge staff and stronger legal teeth.

“For a long time the FTC itself has been pointing out the gaps in its authority,” said Terrell McSweeny, a commissioner who just concluded her three-year tenure. “What I find hopeful about this moment is that people are realizing the consequences of that and having a conversation about it.”

On May 1, the FTC gained its newest chairman, Joe Simons, and soon he’ll be surrounded by a full complement of four other commissioners. They’ll be expected to monitor everything from the fast-growing footprint of companies like Amazon to the security practices of the entire tech industry. Already, they face their first, high-profile test: an investigation into Facebook’s recent privacy mishaps.