The Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) is a nonprofit organization that serves as a catalyst for privacy leadership and scholarship, advancing principled data practices in support of emerging technologies. FPF brings together industry, academics, consumer advocates, and other thought leaders to explore the challenges posed by technological innovation and develop privacy protections, ethical norms and workable business practices.
FPF is pleased to welcome Henry Claypool as a senior fellow. Henry is currently Policy Director at the Community Living Policy Center at the University of California, San Francisco. He is the former Director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Disability and a founding Principal Deputy Administrator of the Administration for Community Living. He also served as a presidentially-appointed member of the Federal Commission on Long-Term Care, advising Congress on how long-term care can be better provided and financed for the nation’s older adults and people with disabilities, now and in the future, and was Executive Vice President of the American Association of People with Disabilities, which promotes equal opportunity, economic power, independent living and political participation for people with disabilities. He is Affiliated Faculty at the Institute for Health & Aging at UCSF and principal of Claypool Consulting.
At FPF, Henry will lead our outreach and research efforts to promote understanding of the range of ways Internet of Things (IoT) technologies are being used to empower those with disabilities and bring disability advocates into privacy-data-technology policy debates. He will be responsible for convening a series of meetings to advance understanding of core privacy issues related to IoT, to address issues, concerns, and goals of the disability community, and to ensure input of disability groups into IoT policy development.
Please join us in welcoming Henry to the team!
Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Email Privacy Act (H.R. 387). The bill updates the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), the law that sets standards for government access to private internet communications. Although ECPA was forward-thinking for its time, the developments of technology and communications in the 30 years since its passage have greatly surpassed its scope and the effectiveness of its policy direction.
“The Email Privacy Act recognizes the central role of email messages in modern society, and ensures that individuals and organizations can maintain their communications in reasonable confidence – requiring law enforcement to obtain a warrant based on probable cause for access,” said Brenda Leong, FPF’s Senior Counsel and Director of Strategy.
FPF has joined numerous other privacy and advocacy organizations to urge immediate passage of the bill. We will continue to keep you updated with developments as the bill moves through the Senate.
Last week, FPF brought together a panel of technology, legal, regulatory, and business voices to discuss “The Law and Science of De-Identification” at the 10th annual Computers, Privacy, and Data Protection conference.
De-identification—the process of modifying personal data to ensure that data subjects are no longer identifiable—is one of the primary measures that organizations take to protect privacy. Over the past few years however, computer scientists and mathematicians have demonstrated that de-identification is not foolproof. At the same time, by necessity, organizations around the world continue to rely on a wide range of technical, administrative and legal measures to reduce data identifiability. The EU General Data Protection Regulation recognizes the concept of pseudonymization, albeit with limited legal implications compared to its stricter relative, anonymization.
This panel of interdisciplinary experts discussed the technology, law, policy, and implementation of de-identification techniques in Europe. Claudia Diaz, Professor at KU Leuven, chaired the session and introduced the complicated landscape in which de-identification is studied, implemented, and debated. Kelsey Finch, Policy Counsel for the Future of Privacy Forum, moderated the session, and tied the discussion at CPDP to its origins in the November 2016 Brussels Privacy Symposium workshop on Identifiability: Policy and Practical Solutions for Anonymization and Pseudonymization.
The papers on which Claude Castelluccia and Sophie Stalla-Bourdillon, and Alessandro Spina based their comments were also selected finalists at the Brussels Privacy Symposium, available here and here.
In a robust question and answer session with the audience and their fellow panelists, the speakers touched on questions, including: how to incentivize robust de-identification within organizations and across sectors; the implications of open data or release-and-forget styles of de-identification; transparency about de-identification commitments and techniques for consumers; and what contextual factors matter most in risk-based de-identification approaches.
Video of the session is available below.
If you would like to participate in this and future discussions regarding EU privacy issues, make sure you Save the Date! The next Brussels Privacy Symposium is November 6, 2017.
The Future of Privacy Forum tracks student privacy news very closely, and shares relevant news stories with our newsletter subscribers.* Today, we are launching “The Top 10,” a monthly blog with our top student privacy stories from the past month (or month-and-a-half, in today’s case).
*Want more news stories? Email Amelia Vance at avance AT fpf.org to subscribe to our student privacy newsletter.
FPF is pleased to be working with SIMLab, The Engine Room, and Center for Democracy & Technology on the Good Data Collaborative.
The Good Data Collaborative seeks to identify gaps in resources to assist civil society in using data responsibly through distinct activities: a landscape assessment of existing tools and resources, as well as academic literature; a consultation with key stakeholders and current and potential users of the resources; and a redesigned, central repository of resources to help them address responsible data challenges in their work.
The project will be hosted by the Digital Civil Society Lab at the Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society.
Held every year on January 28, Data Privacy Day commemorates the 1981 signing of Convention 108, the first legally binding international treaty dealing with privacy and data protection. On January 26, 2017, Jules Polonetsky, FPF’s CEO, joined the National Cyber Security Alliance and many other FPF members and friends at Twitter headquarters for its Data Privacy Day Event 2017.
Leading up to the event, FPF participated in two #ChatSTC #PrivacyAware Twitter chats on January 18 and 25, 2017. The January 18 chat centered around how personal information is being used, collected, and shared. Experts shared tips about how to best manage your privacy online. The purpose of the January 25 chat was to discuss why privacy is good for business and how organizations can create cultures of privacy awareness and educate their consumers about their data use practices.
Data Privacy Day Event 2017 featured livedstreamed panels, TED-style talks, and interviews focusing on the latest privacy issues for consumers and business. FPF participated in several segments including, Privacy and Connected Toys, How to Read a Privacy Policy in Less Than 60 Seconds Even if It Was Written By A Lawyer, and Growing Up Online and the Need for Teaching Privacy in Schools, among others.
Jules was interviewed by Jeff Frick of SiliconANGLE about FPF’s mission to advance principled data practices in support of emerging technologies. Jules discussed FPF’s extensive work on consumer data privacy issues, including many of our recent releases: Always On: Privacy Implications of Microphone-Enabled Devices, 2016 Mobile Apps Study, Kids & The Connected Home: Privacy in the Age of Connected Dolls, Talking Dinosaurs, and Battling Robots, and Personal Data In Your Car. You can watch the full interview below.
Data Privacy Day Stresses Online Safety Tips (The Mercury News), Larry Magid
Data Privacy Day: Will you ever have control of your personal info? (c|net), Laura Hautala
Are you safeguarding your data? Tech leaders talk digital privacy (The Mercury News), Queenie Wong
Twitter gathering: Data protection in forefront (Monterey Herald), Queenie Wong
When a doll rats out a parent: Tech firms struggle with thorny privacy issues (SiliconANGLE), Gabriel Pesek
To learn more about Data Privacy Day, please visit https://staysafeonline.org/data-privacy-day/about.
The 2nd Annual FPF Tech Lab Open House is an opportunity for us to welcome our members, friends, and colleagues in town for the IAPP Global Privacy Summit. Hosted at our home office in Washington, DC, this event provides a rare occasion for policymakers, regulators, and thought leaders to interact with the latest in privacy-impacting gadgets and new technologies.
Join us on Tuesday, April 18th, from 5:30 -7:30pm at the FPF Office and check out the latest in tech:
– Play with Smart Toys: CognitToys Dino, ChiP Robot, and more
– Outsmart our Smart Home gadgets
– Learn how Wi-Fi and Proximity Sensors can be used to track smartphones in our space
– Come face to face with facial recognition
– Experience virtual reality
– Share fun moments with Snap Spectacles
– And more!
Plus, network with locals and out-of-towners, engage in lively discussions about privacy, all while enjoying drinks and hors d’oeuvres.
Doors open at 5:30 pm; a short program begins at 6:00 pm with remarks from special visiting guests.
By invitation only. Please contact [email protected] for more information.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 26, 2017
Contact:
Melanie Bates, Director of Communications, FPF, [email protected]
Jared Allen, Senior Director of Media Relations, NADA, [email protected]
FPF and NADA Launch Guide to Consumer Privacy in the Connected Car
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, General Motors, Global Automakers, and Toyota support Guide’s efforts to educate consumers about data in today’s cars
Washington, DC – Today, the Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) and the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) released a first-of-its kind consumer guide, Personal Data In Your Car. The Guide will help consumers understand the kind of personal information collected by the latest generation of vehicles, which use data to further safety, infotainment, and customer experience. The Guide will be made available to consumers by FPF, NADA, automakers, and dealers in order to explain the kinds of information that may be collected, the guidelines that govern how it is collected and used, and the options consumers may have. Copies of the Guide are being distributed by NADA and Ford Direct at the 2017 NADA Convention & Expo in New Orleans.
“The release of this Guide is a critical step in communicating to consumers the importance of privacy in the connected car, as well as the benefits that car data can provide,” said FPF CEO Jules Polonetsky. “As car data grows in volume and gains attention from both the media and regulators, we think it is critical to find creative ways to communicate with consumers in plain language how it works, how it can serve them, and what options and protections exist.”
“For so many consumers, the idea that their connected vehicle is constantly collecting personal information is completely new to them, and often times something they’ve never even thought about,” said NADA President and CEO Peter Welch. “Consumers have every right to know what kind of personal data may be collected by any vehicle they drive – but knowledge has to start with awareness. It is our hope that this guide helps generate awareness about privacy and vehicle technology, and ultimately leads to more consumers feeling confident and safe in any vehicle they drive.”
Today’s vehicles come equipped with a wide array of equipment and features that rely on the collection and use of data about consumers and their vehicles. These new features support a range of technologies that enhance safety, efficiency, performance, convenience, and entertainment. The Guide describes several components that are integral to properly protecting consumer data. For example, services that collect and share personal information should be accompanied by a clear privacy policy. The reality is that yes, cars are starting to know more about you, but what it knows may save your life.
In addition, Personal Data In Your Car highlights that nearly all leading automakers have committed to protecting consumer information by committing to the Automotive Privacy Principles. These Principles guide privacy practices in the automotive industry. They went into effect beginning with model year 2017 vehicles and for subscription services beginning on January 2, 2016.
The two major automaker trade groups voiced support for the Guide, with CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers Mitch Bainwol saying, “We’ve long said that strong consumer data privacy protections are essential to maintaining the trust of our customers, and our Privacy Principles were a major step in protecting personal information collected in the vehicle. Efforts like this FPF/NADA guide are an important part of helping drivers – and others – understand the many steps automakers take to safeguard data.”
“Automobiles increasingly make use of innovative technologies designed to save lives, time and the environment,” said Global Automakers President and CEO John Bozzella. “Consumers have a right to know and trust that connected car platforms and the benefits that flow from them will not compromise their privacy or security, and we applaud FPF and NADA for developing a guide to help inform the public.”
As vehicles become more connected, it will be increasingly important to communicate with consumers how their information is collected and shared. For further information about technology in the car, consumers should contact their local dealer and review their vehicle’s owner’s manual.
The Guide launched at the Washington Auto Show on January 26th.
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The Future of Privacy Forum is a non-profit organization that serves as a catalyst for privacy leadership and scholarship, advancing principled data practices in support of emerging technologies. To learn more, visit www.fpf.org.
The National Automobile Dealers Association is a national trade association representing franchised new-car dealers. To learn more, visit www.nada.org.
The Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) and the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) released a first-of-its kind consumer guide, Personal Data in Your Car. The Guide will help consumers understand the kind of personal information collected by the latest generation of vehicles, which use data to further safety, infotainment and customer experience. The Guide will be made available to consumers by FPF, NADA, automakers, and dealers in order to explain the kinds of information that may be collected, the guidelines that govern how it is collected and used, and the options consumers may have.
Today’s vehicles come equipped with a wide array of equipment and features that rely on the collection and use of data about consumers and their vehicles. These new features support a range of technologies that enhance safety, efficiency, performance, convenience, and entertainment. The Guide describes several components that are integral to properly protecting consumer data. For example, services that collect and share personal information should be accompanied by a clear privacy policy. The reality is that yes, cars are starting to know more about you, but what it knows may save your life.
Personal Data In Your Car highlights that nearly all leading automakers have committed to protecting consumer information by committing to the Automotive Privacy Principles. These Principles guide privacy practices in the automotive industry. They went into effect beginning with model year 2017 vehicles and for subscription services beginning on January 2, 2016.
As vehicles become more connected, it will be increasingly important to communicate with consumers how their information is collected and shared. For further information about technology in the car, consumers should contact their local dealer and review their vehicle’s owner’s manual.
The Guide launched at the Washington, DC Auto Show on January 26th. Watch the launch below.
