Category «Privacy»

Digital Directory for 800 Telephone Companies Sparks Concern

The Ultimate Little Black Book – One Firm Routes All Phone Calls in North America, by Ellen Nakashima, Washington Post. “Sterling-based NeuStar is the carriers’ digital directory for all phone calls in North America. More than 800 telephone companies have numbers in the database…NeuStar’s databases are so powerful that the FBI a few years ago …

Subjects: E-Government, Government Documents, Privacy

CDT Testimony: DHS, State Using Insecure RFID Technology

Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT): “The long-range or “vicinity” Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology chosen by the Departments of Homeland Security and State for government-issued ID documents poses serious risks to personal privacy and security, CDT testified today before a Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee. CDT recommended that DHS and State abandon the technology, which …

Subjects: Congress, E-Government, Government Documents, Privacy

An Introductory Resource Guide to Implementing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

“NIST announces the release of the public draft of Special Publication 800-66 Revision 1, An Introductory Resource Guide to Implementing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Security Rule (Draft). This Special Publication (SP), which discusses security considerations and resources that may provide value when implementing the requirements of the HIPAA Security Rule, was …

Subjects: E-Government, Government Documents, Legislation, Privacy

2007 Wiretap Report (For the Period January 1 Through December 31, 2007)

US Courts: “The number of intercepted wire, oral or electronic communications — also known as wiretaps — authorized by federal and state courts in 2007 was 20 percent higher than in 2006. Courts issued 2,208 such orders in 2007, compared to 1,839 in 2006, according to The 2007 Wiretap Report. The complete report contains information …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, E-Government, Government Documents, Patriot Act, Privacy

FISA Orders Up, Government Reporting on National Security Letters Begins

EPIC: “According to the 2007 FISA report, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court approved 2,370 application to conduct electronic surveillance and physical searches in the United States in 2007, up from 2,176 applications approved in 2006. For the first time, the report includes information regarding the total number of requests made by the Department of Justice …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Government Documents, Patriot Act, Privacy

Senate Approves Health Privacy Bill

“The Center for Democracy and Technology applauds the Senate’s passage of HR 493, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2007 (GINA) by unanimous consent. The House is expected to quickly pass the measure. The bill represents a significant step forward in protecting health privacy because it prohibits the use of genetic information by employers when …

Subjects: Congress, Government Documents, Legislation, Privacy

UK Phasing In Facial Recognition System for Border Entry

UK Guardian: “Airline passengers are to be screened with facial recognition technology rather than checks by passport officers, in an attempt to improve security and ease congestion..From summer, unmanned clearance gates will be phased in to scan passengers’ faces and match the image to the record on the computer chip in their biometric passports. Border …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, E-Government, Government Documents, Privacy

International Privacy Officials Recommend Social Networking Privacy Safeguards

EPIC: “The International Working Group On Data Protection in Telecommunications has released a report and guidance (pdf) on privacy in social networking services. The report identifies risks to privacy and security, and provides guidance to regulators, service operators and users to counter these risks. Risks include the large amount of data collection; the misuse of …

Subjects: Cybercrime, E-Government, EU Data Protection, Privacy

DHS Proposes Biometric Airport, Seaport Exit Procedures

News release: “The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today a notice of proposed rulemaking that will establish biometric exit procedures at all U.S air and sea ports of departure. The majority of non-U.S. citizens are already required to submit digital fingerprints and a digital photograph for admission into the country. The US-VISIT Exit …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, E-Government, Government Documents, Privacy

Journal of Public Inquiry Fall/Winter 2007-2008

The Inspectors General, Journal of Public Inquiry Fall/Winter 2007/08 (96 pages, PDF) “The Journal is a semiannual publication of the President’s Council on Integrity and Efficiency (PCIE) and the Executive Council on Integrity and Efficiency (ECIE), which together includes 64 statutory Inspectors General who oversee stewardship in the federal government..We are pleased to present over …

Subjects: Cybercrime, E-Government, Government Documents, ID Theft, Legal Research, Privacy

DOJ OIG Testimony on FBI's Use of National Security Letters and Section 215 Orders for Business Records

Statement of Glenn A. Fine, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Justice before the House Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties concerning “The FBI’s Use of National Security Letters and Section 215 Orders for Business Records”, April 15, 2008.

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, E-Government, Government Documents, Patriot Act, Privacy