FPF, Practitioners, and FTC Participate in Data Privacy Day Event
Yesterday, the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) sponsored a privacy event to commemorate Data Privacy Day 2012. The event, called “The Intersection of Privacy and Security,” was held at GW’s Law School. It began with a keynote by FTC Commissioner Julie Brill and was followed by two panels. The panels included Ari Schwartz, Senior Internet Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the senior privacy officers from AT&T, Comcast, eBay, Facebook, Intel and MasterCard. Future of Privacy Forum’s Christopher Wolf moderated the event.
Commissioner Brill shared that consumers should not have to give up their personal information as a toll to participate in cyberspace and discussed the troubling trend of opaque data aggregation. As analysts collect and aggregate data about individuals, including their social media behavior, she worried that soon such data could be used to determine insurance rates and applicability for jobs. Commissioner Brill called on data aggregators to make a one-stop-shop that would allow consumers to view data about themselves and correct erroneous data.
Following Commissioner Brill’s remarks, Christopher Wolf moderated two panels that covered a variety of issues on cyber security and privacy. In both panels, the participants talked about how privacy and security are two sides of the same coin; one cannot be had without the other. The panelists also discussed some of the misconceptions people may have about the privacy considerations of companies and the government. Intel’s David Hoffman discussed how the Department of Homeland Security does a much better job on protecting individuals’ privacy than it gets credit for. Facebook’s Erin Egan stated that many consumers do not realize all the privacy and security checks that companies like Facebook put into their products prior to release. AT&T’s Bob Quinn called for more coordination between government agencies, and he noted that data protections on calls made through traditional telecom channels are regulated differently than calls made over voice over internet protocol (VOIP).
–Steven Beale
Jan. 27, 2012 – Privacy vs. digital age: Where’s the balance?, ZDNet
Jan. 26, 2012 – Google Privacy Changes Part of Push to Integrate Portals, Newsfactor
Get Your Free Privacy eBook!
By David Hoffman, Intel’s director of security policy and global privacy officer
Intel is pleased to announce a special promotion in recognition of Data Privacy Day. Intel has arranged with the Stanford Student Association and Amazon for free downloads of the electronic version of Matt Ivester’s excellent book LOL…OMG. This book describes why individuals need to protect their privacy in their use of social media, and provides practical steps on how to do so. LOL…OMG will be especially relevant for older high school and college students, but adults will also find it engagingly written, though provoking and useful. This is a book that everyone using social media should read. Intel is interested in helping to establish trust in the use of technology. Promoting practical guidance like that found in LOL…OMG aligns perfectly with Intel’s mission to create and extend computing technology to connect and enrich the lives of every person on earth.
The promotion is available from January 27th – January 30th. Click here for information on how to get the book.
Chris Wolf to Moderate Panel at GW Data Privacy Day Event
This morning, FPF’s Christopher Wolf will moderate a panel at “The Intersection of Privacy and Security” event at George Washington University Law School this morning. The event is in honor of internationally-celebrated Data Privacy Day on Saturday, January 28. The event will begin at 9 am. Julie Brill, US Federal Trade Commissioner will be the featured keynote speaker on a panel hosting other industry privacy leaders. To watch the event live via Facebook Live, click here.
Jan. 25, 2012 – EU Releases Broad Internet Privacy Recommendations, Investors.com
The EU Commission announced sweeping Internet privacy recommendations Wednesday, in the first step toward a single policy for Europe regulating the amount and types of data that can be collected and held by Facebook, Google (GOOG) and any Internet company.
Jan. 25, 2012 – Who Would Pay $5,000 to Use Google? (You), SmartMoney
New research finds people fork over $5,000 worth of personal information a year to Google in exchange for access to its “free services” such as Gmail and search. While many view this as a fair trade, privacy experts say the Internet giant’s latest plan to pool user data from its various sites make it less so.
Privacy Prognostication at the State of the Net Conference
On Tuesday, January 17, 2012, FPF Director and Co-Chair Jules Polonetsky moderated a panel on the Congressional outlook on privacy legislation at the State of the Net Conference. The panelists included Justin Brookman, Director of the Consumer Privacy Project at the Center of Democracy and Technology; Daniel Castro, Senior Analyst at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation; Ioana Rusu, Regulatory Counsel for Consumers Union; and Mike Zaneis, VP of Public Policy for the Interactive Advertising Bureau.
The consensus: Congress will most likely not pass broad privacy legislation this year. Still, with the anticipated release of numerous federal reports on protecting online privacy, the panel agreed that privacy would be a hot issue this year.
Panelists discussed industry self-regulatory efforts like the Icon Program that sets out to inform users about online behavioral advertising practices. Justin Brookman called for basic privacy legislation to provide consumers with a way of “figuring out what happens to their information online.”
Jules Polonetsky jokingly noted that the online behavioral advertising topic has eaten up all privacy issues and suggested that we not lose sight of the broader uses and value of data.
Debating the role the government should play in protecting privacy was another topic of discussion. “A terrible idea is to take hypotheticals or products that are not in the marketplace and to legislate in the realm of the possible and not the actual,” said Mike Zaneis. “They [Congress] should be looking at actual bad actions or really probable future bad results for consumers before they really take legislation seriously.”
FPF Co-Chair Chris Wolf also presented at the conference on a panel debating the role intermediaries should play in taking actions against bad actors on the Internet as well as the importance of intermediary protections like Section 230.
-Lia Sheena
MMA Releases Final Apps Privacy Policy Framework
Today the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) released the final version of its Application Privacy Policy Framework. The document provides guidance for mobile app developers and was created with feedback from key industry players. Access the document here. The guidelines include: 1) guidance on privacy principles as well as sample language, 2) methods of informing users about how their data is obtained and used, and 3) security and confidentiality information guidance.
We look forward this year to many more collaborative efforts that help clarify the privacy responsibilities of app developers. In December 2011, FPF and CDT released a beta version of their Best Practices for Mobile Application Developers (pdf). The document provides guidance for developers to implement privacy by design measures throughout each stage of development. The public comment period is still open, so please submit your feedback to[email protected].
FPF to Present at the ICAC Tech Expo
Today, FPF will demonstrate its application privacy site, www.applicationprivacy.org, at the Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee’s 15th Annual Kickoff Reception and Technology Exhibition. The expo will be in the Hart Senate Office Building, Room 902 from 5 to 7pm this Wednesday evening. The event is open to the public, so please come to check out the tools and best practices for mobile application privacy that FPF is working one with app developers. Guests can check-in to the expo onsite. For more information please click here.
