The year was 2010. That was the last time Congress seriously contemplated privacy regulation. In November that year, the Republicans retook both the House and the Senate. When President Obama attempted to offer a “Privacy Bill of Rights” in 2015, it went nowhere. The only significant privacy legislation since then has been the repeal of…
While the Tech Giants have benefited from the “light-touch” regulatory approach taken in the United States, European regulators are increasingly flexing their muscles in the area of taxation, antitrust, content moderation and privacy. This is even before any potential retaliatory action taken in response to President Trump’s proposed tariffs on steel and threat of a…
In 2014, press reports revealed that Uber employees improperly accessed riders’ personal information using an internal company tool called the “God View.” To respond to the controversy, Uber posted this statement on its site: Uber has a strict policy prohibiting all employees at every level from accessing a rider or driver’s data. The only…
Last fall, the Federal Communications Commission approved new privacy rules governing ISPs in a 3-2 party-line vote. Then-FCC Chairman Wheeler stressed It is the consumer’s information. It is not the information of the network the consumer hires to deliver that information. The consumer has the right to make a decision about how her or his information is…
In pushing through new privacy rules governing ISPs, FCC Chairman Wheeler stressed It is the consumer’s information. It is not the information of the network the consumer hires to deliver that information. The consumer has the right to make a decision about how her or his information is used. Opt-In v Opt-Out The new rules,…
FCC Launches Privacy Rulemaking A proposal to commence rulemaking on internet service providers’ privacy obligations was approved 3-2 by the Federal Communications Commission last week. FCC Chairman Wheeler explained that the rules were needed because A consumer’s relationship with her ISP is very different than the one she has with a website or app. Consumers…
FTC Releases Staff Report and Security Guide on Internet of Things Last November, the FTC held a workshop on the The Internet of Things. This week the FTC has released a detailed staff report of its findings. Security was one of the main topics addressed at the workshop and in the comments, particularly due to the…
Uber Reeling From Privacy Scandal Part 1: The Uber Dark Side San Francisco based Uber has been the poster-child of the sharing economy. In five years it has grown to service 200 cities in 45 countries and the privately-held Uber has a valuation of $18.2 billion. As Uber has grown, so have negative news reports questioning its practices…
Cal AG Harris is Promoting Greater Privacy Awareness Among Tech Sector With Privacy Guides As California Attorney General Kamala Harris’ first term comes to a close, she has given online privacy a greater priority than any of her predecessors. Among the steps she has taken during her first term are: Securing a deal with leading app…
Canadian Privacy Commissioner Tags Google for Medical BT In only her second month on the job, Interim Privacy Commissioner Chantal Bernier took on one of the giants of the Internet – Google. Bernier cited Google for sending targeted ads for medical conditions based on consumer searches which violates Canada’s “Privacy and Online Behavioural Advertising Guidelines”…
FTC Watch 2014 Priorities, Enforcement Update and the Battle over Cyber Security When FTC Chair Ramirez tapped Jessica Rich to head the Consumer Protection Bureau, AdWeek noted: Rich’s appointment signals the agency will likely be aggressive in shaping privacy policy and bringing privacy enforcement actions, a goal Ramirez articulated in her first public appearance in early March.…
California Passes Landmark Children’s Privacy Law California has passed landmark children’s online privacy legislation that would prohibit a website/mobile app that is directed to minors or that has actual knowledge that a minor is using the site from marketing or advertising a product or service that minors are prohibiting from purchasing (alcoholic beverages, firearms, ammunition, spray paint, tobacco products,…
CLBR Episode #99 features news updates on CISPA, the Marketplace Fairness Act and state/federal privacy legislation; a discussion with Michael Weinberg, Public Knowledge’s Vice President, the Institute for Emerging Innovation on Data Caps and the Obama administration’s nominee for FCC Chairman; and as always starts with the Day in History. Data Caps with Michael Weinberg…
ROBERT ELLIS SMITH RETURNS TO CLBR TO DISCUSS PRIVACY AND MOBILE APPS With California Attorney General Kamala Harris’ enforcement action filed against Delta for its lack of privacy policy for its mobile app and the FTC indicating that it is investigating mobile compliance with children’s privacy protections, mobile privacy has become the hot domestic internet…
DAN TYNAN RETURNS TO CLBR For a Free Wheeling Discussion on Facebook Likes, Broken Internets, Banana Endorsements and a Surprise Dan Ackroyd Appearance (Kind of) Background More Privacy Perils: Facebook Data Is Greater Than The Sum Of Your Likes (Forbes) The Internet: You broke it, you own it. Now fix it. Would you trust a LinkedIn…
Cyber Report 