Mobility-related technologies are evolving rapidly, transforming the safety and convenience of transportation. Many of these new features are enabled by the collection of new types of data, putting the topic of privacy in connected cars and other modes of transportation on the agenda of industry, policymakers, and regulators. Advancing sensible practices will be essential to ensure that the collection and use of this data is responsible, thoughtful, and communicated effectively to consumers.
FPFcast: Stalking and the Location Privacy Protection Act with Cindy Southworth
June 30, 2014: Stalking and the Location Privacy Protection Act [audio In this podcast, FPF Policy Counsel Joseph Jerome talks with Cindy Southworth from the National Network to End Domestic Violence about stalking apps and how Senator Franken’s proposed bill might curtail their use. Click on the media player above to listen, or download the […]
Wall Street Journal: MLA-Driven Approach to Airport Wait Times
On Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal published an article about long lines at U.S. customs in airports around the country, and what airlines are doing to shorten them. They include a spreadsheet where you can see the kind information that’s been collected thanks to Mobile Location Analytics (“MLA”) technology. This is just one example of […]
Polonetsky: Trust, transparency best in-store deal for shoppers with mobile phones
“Mall operators and retailers can ensure that they use consumer data in a trustworthy manner by making sure they do business with companies who have committed to baseline rules for responsible data use.“ [via RetailingToday]
New Mobile Tracking Dos and Don’ts from Apple
We wrote in the past about how Apple was addressing privacy concerns about mobile tracking by restricting the identifiers that mobile developers can use to track devices. Apple announced in 2011 that developers moving forward would only be permitted to track an iOS device using Apple’s new Advertising Identifier (IDFA). Despite the fact that this […]
MAC Addresses and De-Identification
Location analytics companies log the hashed MAC address of mobile devices in range of their sensors at airports, malls, retail locations, stadiums and other venues. They do so primarily in order to create statistical reports that provide useful aggregated information such as average wait times on line, store “hot spots,” and the percentage of devices […]
Aislelabs named Privacy by Design Ambassador
We were excited to learn that Aislelabs, a member of FPF’s Mobile Location Analytics privacy working group has been named a Privacy by Design Ambassador by the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. Like fellow PbD Ambassador Euclid Analytics, Aislelabs has signed on to our Mobile Location Analytics (MLA) Code of Conduct, which ensures that consumers […]
Study Weighs Privacy Concerns Against Relevant Offers for Mobile Shoppers, Reports MediaPost
Yesterday, MediaPost reported a study by IDC that provided an interesting insight on how smartphone users value their privacy in retail environments. According to MediaPost: “Smartphone owners were asked which was more important: retailers respecting their privacy or retailers presenting them with relevant offers. The results were essentially split, with slightly more than half (53%) […]
Privacy a Big Priority for Mobile Location Analytics Companies at "Retail's BIG Show"
This week, over 30,000 attendees and 500 companies swarmed the Javits Center in New York City for the 2014 National Retail Federation Big Show. The massive expo showcased the latest in retail technology, with mobile location analytics companies making a particularly strong showing. Ten of these companies (Aislelabs, Brickstream, Euclid, iInside, Measurence, Mexia Interactive, Radius […]
A “Cutting-Edge” Guide to Privacy For Not-So-“Cutting-Edge” Phones
Now that the New Year is upon us, California’s Do Not Track transparency bill AB 370 is officially in effect. As websites start to disclose in their privacy policies how they respond to Do Not Track signals, it’s helpful to explain a little more about Do Not Track, as well as other options consumers can […]
Jules Polonetsky to Discuss the State of the World on Data Privacy
Tomorrow at 2 PM ET, Jules Polonetsky will be joining Christina Peters, IBM’s Chief Privacy Officer, for a live videochat to discuss data privacy. Specifically, the two will address challenges managing cross-border data issues as different countries pursue different approaches and regulations for emerging technologies, mobile, and the Internet of Things. The conversation will be […]