California’s AB-1395 Highlights the Challenges of Regulating Voice Recognition
Under the radar of ongoing debates over the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the California Senate Judiciary Committee will also soon be considering, at a July 9th hearing, an unusual sectoral privacy bill regulating “smart speakers.” AB-1395 would amend California’s existing laws to add new restrictions for “smart speaker devices,” defined as standalone devices “with […]
Federal Trade Commission: COPPA Applies to Connected Toys
This week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) updated its guidance on COPPA, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, to clarify that the 1998 statute applies not just to websites and online service providers that collect data from children, but also to Internet of Things devices, including children’s toys.
Future of Privacy Forum Comment Regarding Senator Bill Nelson's Report, “Children's Connected Toys: Data Security and Privacy Concerns”
Today, Senator Nelson’s office released a report outlining several privacy and security implications of “connected toys” that the office identified based on conversations with six major toy manufacturers. The report emphasizes the unique sensitivity of children’s personal information; urges toymakers to build privacy and security into their toys from the inception; and suggests that the FTC has authority to monitor and bring enforcement actions under Section 5 and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
Examining the Privacy Implications of Smart TVs
The Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) filed its report, Always On: Privacy Implications of Microphone-Enabled Devices, with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in response to the Commission’s request for public comments regarding the privacy implications of Smart TVs. On December 7, 2016, the FTC will be holding a Smart TV Workshop to explore the intricacies of tracking technologies and best practices for addressing consumer privacy on entertainment systems.
Cross-Device: Understanding the State of State Management
On Friday, October 16, the Future of Privacy Forum filed comments with the FTC in advance of the FTC’s Cross Device Workshop on Nov. 16, 2015. Jules Polonetsky and Stacey Gray have prepared a report, Cross-Device: Understanding the State of State Management, based on revisions to FPF’s comments filed with the FTC on October 16th, that aims to describe […]
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 […]
The FTC’s Upcoming “Internet Of Things” Workshop: FPF Projects And Resources
Next Tuesday, The Federal Trade Commission will host a workshop on the “Internet of Things,” (IoT), the name commonly used to describe the next generation of connected (or “smart”) devices. As we enter the age of the Internet of Things, soon our homes will know about our energy consumption habits, our cars will know how […]