FPF In the News: a Big Week for Panels and Privacy

The first week of March brought with it a number of great privacy-related events, some run by the IAPP and some hosted by others (including FPF itself!). Below are links to the many events FPF participated in.

Privacy Papers for Policy Makers Launch Event

In conjunction with Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, FPF presented our fourth annual “Privacy Papers for Policy Makers” this Wednesday. Featured at the event was Professor Kenneth Bamberger from Berkeley, who discussed his paper with Deirdre Mulligan, Privacy in Europe: Initial Data on Governance Choices and Corporate Practice. Professor Neil Richards discussed his paper on why data privacy law is (mostly) constitutional, while Adam Thierer presented A Framework for Benefit-Cost Analysis in Digital Privacy Debates.

@Microsoft Conversation on Privacy: “Privacy Models: The Next Evolution”

FPF Executive Director Jules Polonetsky moderated a panel for a lunch conversation between leading experts, who discussed future privacy principles and frameworks that focus on data use and associated risks. The panelists discussed the ways society can protect the privacy of individuals while providing for responsible, beneficial data use.

IAPP: FTC Privacy and Data Security Jurisprudence

FPF Co-Chair Chris Wolf participated on a panel moderated by FPF Senior Fellow Omer Tene on the FTC’s developing “common law of privacy,” which serves as an invaluable reference and guidance tool for corporate data managers not only in the U.S. but also globally. The IAPP Westin Research Center has embarked on a project to collate, index, annotate and make available to policymakers and practitioners a “Comprehensive Casebook of FTC Privacy and Information Security Law.” In this session, Chris, Omer and others discussed the findings of the project and initial conclusions with senior FTC staff.

IAPP: Ed Tech, Data and Student Privacy

FPF Executive Director Jules Polonetsky, FPF Board Members Larry Magid and Andy Bloom, and Kathleen Styles, Chief Privacy Officer, U.S. Department of Education participated in a panel about the impact of new education technologies on student privacy. New technologies and data are being used for a variety of services in schools, from administrative uses such as managing class schedules, buses and registration, to educational tools such as remote learning and personalized curricula. Data is increasingly being shared with third parties, and apps and tablets are increasingly essential to the learning environment. The confluence of enhanced data collection with highly sensitive information about children and teens creates privacy risks: FPF has recently organized a working group of companies and other experts to work on crafting solutions to this hot issue. Contact FPF to get involved.

IAPP: Governmental Access to Private-sector Data: The Realities and Impacts in the U.S. and EU

FPF Co-Chair Chris Wolf moderated a panel discussing government access to private-sector data: what actually is being exposed in the U.S. and in the EU; what checks and oversight exists in the various jurisdictions; what those holding the data and those whose data is held can do to address privacy and free expression concerns; and what impact the publicity over national security access is having on public policy and international relations.

IAPP: From 0–60: Privacy and the New Generation of Connected Cars

FPF Policy Director Josh Harris moderated a panel on the many new developments in the world of connected cars. The panel explored the new technologies and their risks for the privacy of individuals, and demonstrated best practices and solutions for ensuring compliance and transparency within the connected automobile environment. Access Josh’s presentation here.

IAPP: Judge, Jury and Executioner: Are Federal Courts Giving Privacy Class Actions a Fair Chance?

FPF Co-Chair Chris Wolf moderated a panel describing the struggles facing class action plaintiffs in the privacy field. The panel, which brought together some of the leading plaintiff and defendant attorneys in the country, discussed legal theories of harm and standing, proof of causation, commonality and the likelihood that a plaintiff’s injury will be redressed by a favorable decision.

IAPP: Eraser Buttons, the Right to Delete and the Rise of Tech Solutions for Ephemeral Data

FPF Executive Director Jules Polonetsky moderated a panel on California’s new “eraser button” law, which requires certain websites to allow minors to remove embarrassing postings. The panel covered similar legislative efforts in the U.S. and E.U., as well as the growing trend in consumer technology for “ephemeral” messaging services such as Frankly, SnapChat, and Whisper.