FPF list of Federal Anti-discrimination laws
Civil rights groups have recently highlighted the importance of respecting civil rights in this era of “big data” . The White House has echoed these concerns in its Big Data Privacy Review. As supporters of the benefits of responsible data use, we thought it would be helpful to companies and advocates to have a convenient list of existing […]
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 […]
White House/MIT Big Data Privacy Workshop Recap
Speaking for everyone snowed-in in DC, White House Counselor John Podesta remarked that “big snow trumped big data,” while on the phone to open the first of the Obama Administration’s three big data and privacy workshops. This first workshop focused on advancing the “start of the art” in technology and practice. While these workshops are ultimately the […]
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 […]
Protecting Privacy and People Using Airbnb to Go on Vacation
Last month, Attorney General Schneiderman made waves when he subpoenaed data on 15,000 New York City-based users of Airbnb, the service best known for allowing people to rent out their spare bedrooms or their homes while on vacation. The Attorney General is seeking to identify local landlords that are using Airbnb’s service to regularly rent […]
Oct. 1 – Your Digital Trail: Private Company Access – NPR
Jules Polonetsky is featured in a multi-series piece about digital life on NPR’s All Tech Considered: “I think companies haven’t figured out how to talk to people about data or privacy,” says Jules Polonetsky, executive director of the Future of Privacy Forum. “And we think that’s a big part of why the industry has such a […]
New Survey on App Stores and Account Info Sharing – What This Means for COPPA
FPF is committed to helping the app marketplace comply with the FTC’s revised Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) rule. As explained in our public comments filed with the FTC, we think that one way to help companies and parents alike is to encourage collaboration. For example, by leveraging a common platform, “operators” under the […]
This Article Will Self Destruct in 5 Seconds
It is becoming increasingly difficult to escape our past in today’s digital world. Internet experts often warn us that once you post, there’s no going back. Many of us suffer from “social sharing regrets.” Just look at the memorable case of Stacy Snyder who was fired from her teaching position after posting a “Drunken Pirate” photo on […]
Getting COPPA Right with a New Directed at Children Signal
One of the most important provisions of the updated Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) rule that took effect yesterday is the extension of child privacy protection to behavioral advertising, the practice of tracking users across online sites and services to tailor advertising. The Future of Privacy Forum supported the Federal Trade Commission’s move to […]
New Study Shows Need for De-identification Best Practices
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 […]