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EPIC: “The White House has announced a new “Clear Notice and Personal Choice” policy for the use of Web Measurement and Customization Technologies for government web sites. The policy is remarkable in that there does not appear to be any legal basis to allow federal agencies to routinely disclose personal information of citizens to private …
Follow up to Google Launches Encrypted Search in Beta, via the Official Google Enterprise Blog, the announcement that the company moved encrypted search from https://www.google.com to https://encrypted.google.com. “The site functions in the same way. However, if school network administrators decide to block encrypted searches on https://encrypted.google.com, the blocking will no longer affect Google authenticated services …
Legislating Consumer Privacy Online & Off: Last month, Congressmen Rick Boucher and Cliff Stearns, respectively Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet, released a discussion draft of legislation “to assure the privacy of information about individuals both on the Internet and offline.” This is the most significant movement …
OMB Guidance for Online Use of Web Measurement and Customization Technologies, June 25, 2010, M-10-22 “As the Internet continues to evolve, the Federal Government has new opportunities to promote these commitments by engaging with citizens, explaining what Federal agencies are doing, seeking public comments, and improving the delivery of services. In the private sector, it …
The Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative: “President Obama has identified cybersecurity as one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a nation, but one that we as a government or as a country are not adequately prepared to counter. Shortly after taking office, the President therefore ordered a thorough review of …
Twitter Settles Charges that it Failed to Protect Consumers Personal Information; Company Will Establish Independently Audited Information Security Program: “Social networking service Twitter has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it deceived consumers and put their privacy at risk by failing to safeguard their personal information, marking the agencys first such case against …
Follow up to Several State Attorneys General Announce Probes of Google Wireless Data Collection, via Privacy International, “Crime reference number 2318672/10 was today issued by London’s Metropolitan Police, marking the commencement of investigations into Google for alleged criminal interception of Wireless communications content. Privacy International, which brought the complaint, has been briefed by police on …
Follow up to Several State Attorneys General Announce Probes of Google Wireless Data Collection, via EPIC: “The French National Commission on Computing and Liberty (CNIL) has released preliminary results (French) (English) of the Google Street View investigation in France. According to the CNIL, Google “saved passwords for access to mailboxes” and obtained content of electronic …
Follow up to Several State Attorneys General Announce Probes of Google Wireless Data Collection, an update via EPIC: “Several state attorneys general have opened investigations of Google, following disclosures that the company captured and stored Wi-Fi data in addition to digital images. These states include Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Missouri. Maryland and New York …
EPIC: “The Supreme Court has issued a ruling in City of Ontario v. Quon, a case concerning the reasonablenees of a search of a public employee’s pager. EPIC filed a “friend of the court” brief in the case, arguing that data minimization practices should be followed for electronic searches, and that the search, which uncovered …
EPIC: “International watchdog Privacy International has announced the launch of a new website for bringing transparency to “technical mysteries” behind controversial systems. Cracking the Black Box identifies key questions regarding mysterious technologies and asks experts, whistleblowers, and other concerned parties to “help crack the box” by anonymously contributing ideas and input. The organization responsible for …
News release: “Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is asking Google whether its street view cars collected personal information transmitted over wireless networks without permission while photographing Connecticut streets and homes. Google has acknowledged that street view cars in some locations have intercepted information from unsecured personal WIFI networks. In Europe, notably Ireland, Google admitted intercepting packets …
