The ranking members of four Senate Committees have released their principles for any privacy legislation, many of which are likely to be rejected by Republicans and many industry stakeholders (e.g. no preemptions of the “California Consumer Privacy Act” (AB 375) and a private right of action for consumers). Nonetheless, Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Dianne Feinstein … Continue reading Senate Democrats Release Privacy Principles
“The Porch Pirate of Potrero Hill Can’t Believe It Came to This" – The Atlantic. How technology intersects with and possibly exacerbates long entrenched societal problems. A fascinating read starting with someone stealing Amazon packages in a rapidly gentrifying San Francisco neighborhood.“Why Do We Tolerate Saudi Money in Tech?” – The New York Times and … Continue reading Further Reading (15 November)
Last week, we dived into the last White House on privacy, the discussion draft of the “Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights Act of 2015“ released by the Obama Administration. This bill was released in conjunction with a report on privacy issues and then proceeded to go nowhere as there was scant appetite on Capitol Hill … Continue reading A Privacy Bill A Week: Online Privacy Act of 2019
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced a legal action against Google “alleging they engaged in misleading conduct and made false or misleading representations to consumers about the personal location data Google collects, keeps and uses” according to the agency’s press release. In its initial filing, the ACCC is claiming that Google mislead and … Continue reading ACCC Charges Google With Violations Of Consumer Laws Over Android Location Settings
WhatsApp and Facebook filed suit against the Israeli security firm, NSO Group, alleging that in April 2019, it sent “malware to approximately 1,400 mobile phones and devices…designed to infect the Target Devices for the purpose of conducting surveillance of specific WhatsApp users.” This step was taken, Facebook and WhatsApp claim, in order to circumvent WhatApp’s … Continue reading Facebook and WhatsApp Sue Israeli Security Firm, NSO Group
“I Accidentally Uncovered a Nationwide Scam on Airbnb” – Vice. A writer discovered through experience about a scam many on the short-term rental site, Airbnb, have experienced: a last-minute cancellation leading to a much inferior property and an interminable process for lodging complaints and obtaining a refund. Airbnb seems lax about enforcing its own policies … Continue reading Further Reading (8 November)
Last week, we took a look at two bills that approach privacy issues from the vantage of data ownership: Senator John Kennedy’s (R-LA) “Own Your Own Data Act” (S. 806), and Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Josh Hawley’s (R-MO) “Designing Accounting Safeguards To Help Broaden Oversight and Regulations on Data” (S. 1951). This week, we … Continue reading A Privacy Bill A Week: the Obama Administration’s “Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights Act of 2015”
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced its first action regarding applications for smart phones that may be placed on a user’s device without their knowledge or consent (aka stalking apps). The FTC took action against the developer of stalking apps of violating both the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC Act) and the Children’s Privacy Protection … Continue reading FTC Acts Against Stalking App Developer
“Russian operatives sacrifice followers to stay under cover on Facebook” – Reuters. Facebooks is using the tactics Russian hackers have used to spread disinformation against them. In order to sow discord, the Internet Research Agency’s (IRA) hackers need to be outrageous and memorable but doing so makes it easier for Facebook’s security team to track … Continue reading Further Reading
This week, we will look at a pair of bills referenced by Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Chair Mike Crapo (R-ID) at a recent hearing on data ownership that take a different approach to privacy. In short, these bills would approach the issues presented by mass collection and use of consumer data by … Continue reading Privacy Bill A Week: “Own Your Own Data Act” (S. 806) and the “Designing Accounting Safeguards To Help Broaden Oversight and Regulations on Data” (S. 1951).
Michael Kans 