Category «Privacy»

Google Resists Complying With DOJ Demand For Data to Shield Trade Secrets?

In a shift from previous responses to and commentary about DOJ’s subpoena for Google’s search data, this New York Times article, In Case About Google’s Secrets, Yours Are Safe, recasts the probe with a focus on protecting corporate trade secrets, not preserving user privacy. Related commentary on Google: Imagining the Google Future – Top experts …

Subjects: Intellectual Property, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Privacy, Search Engines

Survey of Cyberpreparedness By State and Local Governments

Press release: “The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO), which represents the chief information officers (CIOs) of the states, and the Metropolitan Information Exchange (MIX), an association of county and municipal CIOs, have released findings from a pair of surveys of state and local government cybersecurity preparedness.” Survey Findings (7 pages, PDF) Survey …

Subjects: Congress, Cybercrime, PC Security, Privacy

Surveillance Increasingly Woven Into Fabric of Online World

This New York Times essay, A Growing Web of Watchers Builds a Surveillance Society, by David Shenk, offers especially cautionary insight in light of the growing public and political response to revelations about the government’s domestic surveillance program. After Subpoenas, Internet Searches Give Some Pause Survey finds solid opposition to release of Google data to …

Subjects: Congress, E-Commerce, E-Mail, E-Records, Patriot Act, Privacy

Bill to Prohibit Sale of Cell Phone Records Gains Momentum

Additional information and commentary related to January 18, 2006 posting, Legislation Seeks to Prohibit Sale of Cell Phone Records. The legislation referenced, the Consumer Telephone Records Protection Act of 2006 is S. 2178 (PDF). Commentary on the legislation by Anita Ramastry, It’s Time for Congress to Prohibit and Criminally Punish the Sale of our Cell …

Subjects: E-Commerce, Internet, Legislation, Privacy

Administration Defense of Domestic Surveillance Program Escalates

Notable articles today: New York Times: Delicate Dance for Bush in Depicting Spy Program as Asset Washington Post (reg. req’d) Bush Defends Domestic Spying – Deputy National Intelligence Chief Says Program is Targeted on Al Qaeda President Discusses Global War on Terror at Kansas State University, January 23, 2006: “This is a — I repeat …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, Government Documents, Privacy

Better Protections Needed for Social Security Numbers Used By Gov’t Contractors

Social Security Numbers: Stronger Protections Needed When Contractors Have Access to SSNs GAO-06-238, January 23, 2006. Highlights. “Federal regulation and oversight of SSN sharing varied across the four industries GAO reviewed, revealing gaps in federal law and agency oversight in the four industries GAO reviewed that share SSNs with contractors. Financial services companies must comply …

Subjects: Government Documents, Privacy

Questions About NSA Surveillance From the Not So Distant Past

Statement for the Record of NSA Director Lt Gen Michael V. Hayden, USAF, House Permanet Select Committee on Intelligence, 12 April 2000: “In performing our mission, NSA constantly deals with information that must remain confidential so that we can continue to collect foreign intelligence information on various subjects that are of vital interest to the …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, Privacy

Commentary on Government Search Engine Data Collection Highlights Privacy Issues

Commentary related to postings this past week, Google Fights DOJ Order to Produce Records of Database Searches and MSN Blog Post Explains Search Data Provided to DOJ, focuses on the privacy issues that dominate this probe, rather than the government’s contention that the effort revolves around protecting children who use the Internet. See the following …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Government Documents, Internet, Privacy

MSN Blog Post Explains Search Data Provided to DOJ

Following up on the news this week, Google Fights DOJ Order to Produce Records of Database Searches, this related posting Privacy and MSN Search states the the facts as follows: “Over the summer we were subpoenaed by the DOJ regarding a lawsuit. The subpoena requested that we produce data from our search service. We worked …

Subjects: Blogs, Civil Liberties, Government Documents, Internet, Legislation, Microsoft, Privacy

Conyers Holds Unofficial House Judiciary Cmte. Hearing in Basement – Again

No, not the Basement Tapes, but the second Basement Hearings [the first hearing was held on June 16, 2005.] Judiciary Democratic Congressional Briefing “Constitution in Crisis: Domestic Surveillance and Executive Power” January 20, 2006. From the Prepared Statement of Congressman John Conyers, Jr., January 20, 2006, Democratic Hearing on Domestic Surveillance: “There can be no …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, Government Documents, Privacy

Senate Resolution Clarifies No Congressional Authorization for Warrantless Wiretaps

Press release: “Senator Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., on Friday introduced a resolution setting the record straight that Congress did not authorize President Bush’s illegal spying program when it passed a 2001 resolution governing the use of military force in the war on terror.” Text of S. Res.__,…the Authorization of Use of Military Force Does Not Authorize …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, Legislation, Patriot Act, Privacy