Leading Research Presented at Annual Privacy Papers for Policymakers
On Wednesday evening, the Future of Privacy Forum hosted the Sixth Annual Privacy Papers for Policymakers, an annual presentation and discussion of leading privacy research. The top papers, all published in 2015, were selected by a subcommittee from the FPF Advisory Board as the best papers to inform any conversation about regulatory privacy initiatives in Congress, as well as at the Federal Trade Commission and other government agencies. Click here to read the 1-page executive summaries of the winning papers.
At the event, which included two panels, the authors discussed a broad range of subjects, including the ethics of big data release policy, the design of effective privacy notices, theories of trust and marketplaces and privacy, and the “golden age of surveillance” in law enforcement. Authors discussed their individual papers, followed by audience Q&A.
In addition, special guests, Julie Brill, FTC Commissioner, and Dr. Lorrie Faith Cranor, FTC Chief Technologist discussed the impact of privacy research on FTC work. Dr. Cranor said sometimes there’s a “mismatch” between what policymakers are asking and what researchers are trying to answer. “Stronger dialogues” are needed between researchers and policymakers “so that our academic research can be more relevant and useful” to government and corporate decision-makers. Commissioner Brill also discussed her interest in the theoretical frameworks of privacy, noting that privacy research affects her work by identifying key issues and sources of disagreement in privacy debates.
From left to right: Jeff Brueggeman, Vice President, Global Public Policy, AT&T; Dr. Rebecca Balebako, RAND Corporation; Dr. Florian Schaub, Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science; Adam Durity, Google; Professor Neil Richards, Washington University School of Law.
From left to right: Frank Torres, Director of Consumer Affairs & Senior Policy Counsel, US Government Affairs, Microsoft Corporation; Professor Arvind Narayanan, Princeton University Department of Computer Science; Professor Peter Swire, Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business; Professor Joel R. Reidenberg, Center on Law and Information Policy, Fordham University
Read the full papers at the links below, in alphabetical order:
These papers illuminate concerns that will continue to drive privacy debates in 2016. We look forward to accepting submissions for 2016 beginning in Fall 2016.
Passing the Privacy Test as Student Data Laws Take Effect
On January 1, 2016, “ SOPIPA”—the recently passed California student data privacy law that defines how edtech companies can use student data became effective. About 25 other states have passed similar laws that are already in effect, or will become effective. At the same time, more than 200 school service providers have now signed the Student Privacy Pledge, a legally enforceable commitment which has language closely aligned with these laws.
What’s covered by the new laws and the Pledge? Read todays op-ed by Brenda and Jules op-ed at EdSurge
Winning 2015 Privacy Papers for Policymakers to be Presented
The Future of Privacy Forum is pleased to publish our annual compilation of winning privacy papers, Privacy Papers for Policymakers. These five top papers along with two honorable mentions, all published in 2015, were selected by a subcommittee from the FPF Advisory Board as the best papers to inform any conversation about regulatory privacy initiatives in Congress, as well as at the Federal Trade Commission and other government agencies.
This evening (Jan. 13th), we look forward to hosting the authors of the selected papers at our annual panel and reception, an event which has sold out.Authors will discuss their individual publications across two panels, to be followed by Q&A. In addition, special guests, Julie Brill, FTC Commissioner, and Dr. Lorrie Faith Cranor, FTC Chief Technologist will make comments.
Click here to read the 1-page executive summaries of the winning papers.
FTC Releases Report on Benefits and Risks of Big Data
This week the FTC released a report exploring the use of Big Data analytics. The 33-page document, Big Data: A Tool for Inclusion or Exclusion? Understanding the Issues, is based on the FTC’s Big Data Workshop on September 17, 2014. The report outlines some of the benefits and risks of Big Data use, and surveys the existing consumer-protective legal framework, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC Act), and a spectrum of equal opportunity laws.
In the report, we were pleased to see a thoughtful discussion of some of the benefits of Big Data use, including to provide better education, access to credit, and tailored healthcare. Included were many of the examples described in FPF’s report co-authored with the Anti-Defamation League, Big Data: A Tool for Fighting Discrimination and Empowering Groups. In this publication, we highlighted many of the ways in which data can be harnessed to combat discrimination, including to increase workplace diversity and access to employment opportunities. Featured prominently in the FTC’s report were many of the panel comments of FPF Founder Christopher Wolf, who spoke at the 2014 workshop on the uses of Big Data for combating discrimination.
Also highlighted were some of the comments of Senior Fellow Peter Swire, who has written that existing anti-discrimination laws in some sectors—such as housing, access to credit, and employment—already apply to online advertising. These laws, most notably ECOA, Fair Housing Act, and Title VII, prohibit discrimination in both online and offline marketing, and the online ecosystem may in fact lend itself to better disparate impact analysis.
The FTC’s report will certainly not be the last word on the subject in the world of Big Data and privacy. Followers of the ongoing conversation around Big Data should look next to the upcoming White House report (following up on a 2015 Interim Report) exploring the implications for big data technologies for civil rights, including for broadening opportunities and preventing discrimination.
Parent’s Guide to Student Data Privacy Now Available in Spanish!
The Future of Privacy Forum (FPF), Connect Safely, and the National PTA are proud to announce that the Parent’s Guide to Student Data Privacy is now available in Spanish, both on-line and in hard copy formats.
Last year, FPF partnered with ConnectSafely and the National PTA to create the Parent’s Guide to Student Data Privacy. This guide offers information specifically designed to provide parents with easy-to-understand FAQs explaining student rights to their educational data under current law. With the many recent changes in the role of technology in schools, and the increase in student data collected by schools and districts, it’s important that parents and student have a clear understanding of their rights to access and control over that information. This guide has been distributed to, and accessed on-line, by parents from schools across the country. Thanks to a grant from Sheila Kaplan, we are now able to offer the Guide in Spanish as well. This will enable schools to reach an even wider audience and help educate more parents about their child’s data.
Future of Privacy Forum and Houston ISD Announce Winners for Student Privacy Video Competition
The Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) in partnership with Houston ISD’s Office of Educational Technology have introduced a student-created video campaign to encourage public school students to engage about how to safeguard their privacy and personal data. In October, students from the Houston Independent School District (HISD) were offered the chance to create short videos to discuss pertinent privacy issues aimed at their peers, on topics which rotated monthly.
HISD elementary school students created videos on the importance of strong passwords as a key to responsible digital citizenship. Out of 8 submissions, 5 students from two schools demonstrated their mastery of this concept, winning the top prizes in the video production contest. Harvard Elementary School students won four of the five prizes (first and second, as well as two honorable mentions), while a student from Eastwood Academy took home the third-place prize.
The competition was created as a part of Houston ISD’s Digital Awareness program to increase students’ web savvy while also giving them an opportunity for creative expression.
“This has been such a great outlet for the students,” said Harvard Elementary School Instructional Technologist John Schaff. “We have been trying to create movies that fit into our curriculum, and we will be recommending other cyber safety and digital citizenship topics for future competitions.”
Students received gift cards of $150, $100, $50, and $25 for honorable mentions, provided by the Future of Privacy Forum. FPF has pledged to support the HISD program in the future.
For more information about Houston Independent School District please go here
For more information about the program please go here
