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Microsoft issued a download for Office 2003/XP to allow users to”permanently remove hidden data and collaboration data, such as change tracking and comments, from Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint files.” An important issue in itself, made even more relevant when considered alongside this article by Preston Gralla, published yesterday, about the creation of …
Potential legal challenges to the application of the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) in public libraries: Strategies and issues, by Paul T. Jaeger and Charles R. McClure “The legal issues that might be used to challenge the Courts decision include least restrictive alternative, vagueness, overbreadth, request policies, prior restraints, public forum, and limitations on political …
An article in today’s Washington Post focuses on the growing volume of sensitive personal data, aggregated on commercial, corporate, academic and government websites, that is accessible via search engines. Mistakes that result from inexpert programming, server vulnerabilities and configuration related issues facilitate the compromise of personal data, the results of which are chronicled with growing …
The Spyware Warrior blog, referenced in this article is a useful resource for current information on malware, trojan horses, and purported spyware, disguised as anti-spyware. Users beware, and the importance of staying informed is facilitated by the the efforts of reliable advice accompanied by regular updates to track the frequency with which such vulnerabilities are …
“The SWIPE Toolkit is a collection of web-based tools that sheds light on personal data collection and usage practices in the United States. The tools demonstrate the value of personal information on the open market and enable people to access information encoded on a driver’s license or stored in some of the many commercial data …
Accenture Study Reveals Wide Chasm Exists Between U.S. Businesses and Consumers Regarding Privacy and Trust Related to Personal Data.
The Consumer Federation of California Education Foundation published a Financial Privacy Report Card which “surveys the privacy practices of the 55 largest financial institutions in California.”
Earlier this month the IRS caused a controversy with the requirement that the tax software industry assist the agency in tracking filers who used the IRS Free File system. Yesterday brought an announcement that compliance with this requirement had been postponed “until the end of the current filing season.”
From the EFF advisory, Recording Industry Announces Lawsuits Against Music Sharers: “Continuing a crusade against its own customers, the recording industry today announced lawsuits against more than five hundred individuals accused of illegal filesharing. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announced it would seek the identity of “John Does” known by the addresses of …
Bush wants Patriot Act renewed. January 20, 2004 State of the Union Address by President Bush (pdf) Patriot Act Comes Into Play – President urges renewal, while amendments languish in Congress beSpacific postings on Patriot Act
From the January 16, 2004 Federal Register, a notice from Homeland Security on the US-VISIT Program; Privacy Impact Assessment and Privacy Policy. See the DHS Privacy Impact Assessment of US-VISIT, which was published on January 4, 2004.
Via usnews.com, a reference to an excellent essay, e-Privacy? by Mary J. Cronin, adapted from the book Public Policy and the Internet: Privacy, Taxes, and Contract, edited by Nicholas Imparato and Mary J. Cronin. “The everyday activities of most Americans are now routinely recorded and analyzed by a variety of governmental and commercial organizations. From …
