Tag: Government

(Jun 18, 2019) The Wall Street Journal reports on the origins of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, which the original architect, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., believes needs to have its minimum age requirement raised. Markey, who helped send COPPA into force in 1998, sought to have websites require parental consent for users ages 16 and younger before lawmakers settled on under age 13. “It was too young and I knew it was too young then,” Markey said. “It was the best I could do.” Markey and Sen. Jo... Read More

(Jun 18, 2019) In a blog post for the Information Accountability Foundation, Executive Director Martin Abrams writes about the IAF's "Fair and Open Use Act," which is the organization's model for U.S. privacy legislation that works toward "preventing data misuse and allowing innovative use of data that benefits people." Abrams claims that IAF's draft legislation "provides controls for individuals," but those controls are trumped by "the safe and fair processing of personal data to ensure data serves people." A... Read More

(Jun 17, 2019) In this week's Privacy Tracker global legislative roundup, take a look at a new IAPP white paper that helps privacy professionals as they work to operationalize their California Consumer Privacy Act compliance programs. A piece for The Privacy Advisor looks at the potential future of the ePrivacy Regulation as Finland is set to start its six-month EU presidency. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada announced it has revised the framework for its transborder data flow consultation, and... Read More

(Jun 17, 2019) In this week's Privacy Tracker global legislative roundup, take a look at a new IAPP white paper that helps privacy professionals as they work to operationalize their California Consumer Privacy Act compliance programs. A piece for The Privacy Advisor looks at the potential future of the ePrivacy Regulation as Finland is set to start its six-month EU presidency. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada announced it has revised the framework for its transborder data flow consultation, and... Read More

(Jun 17, 2019) U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., has sent a letter to 13 car manufacturers calling for more transparency regarding the collection of driver data. Merkley is seeking clarity on whether or not the companies are collecting data, and if so, he wants to know details on the type of data, ownership and storage. "While data plays an integral role in advancing new technology to maximize consumer benefits and bolster the American automotive industry, it is necessary to understand the scope, purpose, and ex... Read More

(Jun 17, 2019) CNET reports the U.S. Government Accountability Office has released a report citing four government entities that are vulnerable to data breaches and fraud due to a shared security measure. The U.S. Postal Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, Social Security Administration, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services each use Knowledge-Based Verification, which calls for applicants to verify identity using personal information, such as birthdates, Social Security numbers and addresses. Th... Read More

(Jun 17, 2019) Public interest groups have filed a complaint to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission alleging that wireless carriers broke privacy laws while sharing customer location data without consent, The Hill reports. Wireless providers AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile told the FCC last month that they had ended their third-party sharing. “The wireless carriers have been engaging in serious violations of their customers’ privacy. But the law is clear on this issue: wireless carriers need cons... Read More

(Jun 17, 2019) The Hill reports more than 20 U.S. House Democrats signed a letter to the Department of Homeland Security pressing for answers regarding the use of facial-recognition software by Customs and Border Protection in airports. The group of Democrats, which is headed by Reps. Susan Wild, D-Pa., Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., and Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., is concerned with CBP's rapid expansion of facial recognition in U.S. airports and scans involving U.S. citizens. "This is an unprecedented and unauthorized ex... Read More

(Jun 14, 2019) The U.S. Federal Trade Commission announced it has reached a settlement with background-screening company SecurTest over allegations it falsely claimed to have participated in both the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield and Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield agreements. The FTC’s complaint states SecurTest said on its website it participated in both agreements; however, the company never completed the process to be certified under the frameworks. SecurTest is prohibited from misrepresenting its participation in any ... Read More

(Jun 14, 2019) NOYB announced the Austrian Supreme Court has ruled Facebook is not permitted to take further action to block a model suit regarding its fundamental privacy issues. The Supreme Court's decision comes after Facebook appealed a decision by the Vienna Higher Regional Court to allow Max Schrems' civil suit against the social network to move forward. "I am very pleased that we were able to clarify this fundamental issue," Schrems said in the statement. "We are hoping for a speedy procedure now that t... Read More