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Publically releasing sensitive information is risky.  In 1997, Latanya Sweeney used full date of birth, 5 digit ZIP code, and gender to show that seemingly anonymous medical data could be linked to an actual person when she uncovered the health information of William Weld, the former governor of Massachusetts.   Sweeney in a new study analyzes […]

Big Data promises to open new doors to curing diseases, cleaning the environment, and easing life’s burdens, but is it opening too many doors?  Writing for The New York Times on Sunday, Steve Lohr suggested that the privacy challenges posed by Big Data are so large that it might trump any potential benefits.  The surveillance […]

Even as it promises breakthroughs in healthcare, the environment, and how individuals understand the world, Big Data may also be a powerful tool in the national security space. On Wednesday, the Journal of National Security Law & Policy, along with the Georgetown Center on National Security and the Law, launched their first symposium by addressing […]

At this week’s DC Mobile Monday event, the potential of the connected car provided enthusiastic discussion.  As our cars get smarter, they promise not only seamless infotainment and geolocational tracking features but also the capacity to communicate with other connected cars and our mechanics, improving safety and saving drivers time and money. While these are […]

New Survey Data Indicates Consumer Confusion Over Businesses’ Use of Social Data Gigya, the leading provider of social infrastructure for business today announced the launch of SocialPrivacy™ Certification. The new certification will enable businesses to verify that they follow approved social network guidelines and industry best practices for managing consumer social data. Businesses can become […]

The European Commission’s Data Protection Reform Proposal came under fire in a just-issued report by the UK House of Commons Justice Committee that called the proposed Regulation “overly prescriptive” and lacking “flexibility or discretion” for data controllers and regulators. While The UK Justice Committee report concludes that a Regulation is necessary in order to update […]

Mobile payment systems are a relatively new technology that has sparked the interest of lawmakers, federal agencies, academics, and privacy advocates. The question they are all asking is why are Americans not taking advantage of a system that promises to significantly increase economic efficiency and convenience? When it comes to mobile payment systems, the United […]

[…] might seek the data or they do not trust companies to refrain from using it for profiling or for discriminatory purposes. Others argue that consumers who are promised that they will not be tracked expect not to be tracked at all. We believe that the potential compromise solution will need to allow for the […]

Surprisingly to most observers, one of the biggest effects of the new FTC report will be in the area of de-identified data.  The FTC’s new approach, highlighted by them as the top issue of interest to techies, provides a major incentive for companies to improve their data processes. The earlier report would have applied to […]

Yesterday, the White House released its long-awaited Privacy “White Paper” that outlines the Obama Administration’s proposal for a new American privacy framework.  The more than year-long process that culminated in today’s release of the White Paper began in December 2010 when the Department of Commerce’s Internet Policy Task Force released a “Green Paper” entitled:  “Commercial […]