Privacy & New Media

Powered by WPeMatico

The Republican National Committee’s database of nearly every registered American voter was left vulnerable to theft on a public server for 12 days this month, according to a cybersecurity researcher who found and downloaded the trove of data.

more

The content in this post was found at https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/06/19/republican-contractor-database-every-voter-exposed-internet-12-days-researcher-says/ Clicking the title link will take you to the source of the post. and was not authored by the moderators of privacynnewmedia.com. Clicking the title link will take you to the source of the post.

Powered by WPeMatico

The change is coming later this year.

more

The content in this post was found at https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/06/26/gmail-will-no-longer-snoop-on-your-emails-for-advertising-purposes/ Clicking the title link will take you to the source of the post. and was not authored by the moderators of privacynnewmedia.com. Clicking the title link will take you to the source of the post.

Powered by WPeMatico

The Federal Trade Commission has updated its guidance for businesses on complying with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. The new guidance clarifies that connected toys, Internet of Things devices, and other products intended for children must comply with the Act. “When companies surreptitiously collect and share children’s information, the risk of harm is very real,” FTC acting Chair Maureen Ohlhausen recently wrote. An EPIC-led coalition filed a complaint with the FTC in 2016 alleging that Intenet-connected dolls violate U.S. privacy law. EPIC’s complaint spurred a congressional investigation and toy stores across Europe have removed Cayla from their shelves. The FTC acknowledged EPIC’s complaint but has yet to act on it.

more

The content in this post was found at https://epic.org/2017/06/ftc-updates-guidance-on-childr.html Clicking the title link will take you to the source of the post. and was not authored by the moderators of privacynnewmedia.com. Clicking the title link will take you to the source of the post.

Powered by WPeMatico

The Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals heard oral arguments today in an open government case with implications for informational privacy. A group of anonymous medical employees challenged the release of personal information sought under a state public records act. EPIC filed a “friend-of-the-court” brief in the case arguing that withholding personal information is consistent with open government and constitutionally required. “Open government laws and privacy laws are complimentary: the aim is to maximize both the public’s access to information about the government and to safeguard personal privacy to the greatest extent feasible,” EPIC wrote. EPIC has argued for similar privacy protections in ATF v. Chicago, Chicago Tribune v. University of Illinois, Ostergren v. Cuccinelli, NASA v. Nelson, and FCC v. AT&T.

more

The content in this post was found at https://epic.org/2017/07/appeals-court-considers-case-t.html Clicking the title link will take you to the source of the post. and was not authored by the moderators of privacynnewmedia.com. Clicking the title link will take you to the source of the post.

Powered by WPeMatico

U.S. customs officials are a bit more limited in their searches than you might think.

more

The content in this post was found at https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/07/14/travelers-just-won-back-a-bit-of-their-privacy-at-the-border/ Clicking the title link will take you to the source of the post. and was not authored by the moderators of privacynnewmedia.com. Clicking the title link will take you to the source of the post.

Powered by WPeMatico

The FBI released a Public Service Announcement warning consumers about the privacy risks of internet-connected toys. “Smart toys and entertainment devices for children are increasingly incorporating technologies that learn and tailor their behaviors based on user interactions,” the FBI wrote in the PSA, adding that the toys “could put the privacy and safety of children at risk due to the large amount of personal information that may be unwittingly disclosed.” Last year, EPIC and several consumer organizations filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission alleging that the “My Friend Cayla” doll violates U.S. privacy law. EPIC’s complaint spurred a congressional investigation and toy stores across Europe have removed Cayla from their shelves.

more

The content in this post was found at https://epic.org/2017/07/fbi-warns-of-privacy-risks-wit.html Clicking the title link will take you to the source of the post. and was not authored by the moderators of privacynnewmedia.com. Clicking the title link will take you to the source of the post.

Powered by WPeMatico

The top EU Court has struck down an EU-Canada agreement on the processing of airline passenger records. The Passenger Name Record agreement mandated data retention and permitted the bulk transfer of personal data provided by passengers booking a flight. The Court of Justice of the EU explained “the PNR agreement may not be concluded in its current form because several of its provisions are incompatible with the fundamental rights recognised by the EU.” The data can reveal “a complete travel itinerary, travel habits, relationships existing between two or more individuals, and information on the financial situation of air passengers, their dietary habits or their state of health.” The European Digital Rights Initiative praised the outcome. The EU and US have a similar agreement that permits retention of personal data for 15 years. EPIC has criticized overbroad passenger data transfers, and argued the EU-US agreement violates the EU data protection directive.

more

The content in this post was found at https://epic.org/2017/07/european-court-halts-retention.html Clicking the title link will take you to the source of the post. and was not authored by the moderators of privacynnewmedia.com. Clicking the title link will take you to the source of the post.

Powered by WPeMatico

A program hailed as an advertising breakthrough leads to a privacy complaint before a federal agency.

more

The content in this post was found at https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/07/30/googles-new-program-to-track-shoppers-sparks-a-federal-privacy-complaint/ Clicking the title link will take you to the source of the post. and was not authored by the moderators of privacynnewmedia.com. Clicking the title link will take you to the source of the post.

Powered by WPeMatico

2017 marked the “worst year ever” for data breaches, according to a pair of reports by Thales and the Online Trust Alliance. Data breaches nearly doubled from 2016 to 2017, and 73% of all U.S. companies have now been breached. Noteworthy were the data security failures of Equifax and Uber. In testimony before the Senate Banking Committee following the Equifax breach last year, EPIC called on Congress to enact meaningful reforms, including default credit freezes and prompt data breach notification. Two years ago, EPIC launched the DataProtection2016 campaign to promote stronger privacy safeguards in the U.S.

more

The content in this post was found at https://epic.org/2018/01/data-breaches-on-the-rise.html Clicking the title link will take you to the source of the post. and was not authored by the moderators of privacynnewmedia.com. Clicking the title link will take you to the source of the post.

Powered by WPeMatico