|
Privacy
In the past, we worried less about privacy.
The issue was there, but abuse was small. And we don't tend to be concerned about theoretical threats. We only care about problems when they become real and touch our lives.
Before the information explosion, we relied on cost as the primary protection of privacy: it was too expensive for anyone (except maybe the government) to assemble, store, cross-index and correlate the information.
Today, the information explosion has driven down costs.
The original MS-DOS operating system could only handle data storage up to 32 MB. No one could imagine needing more. In August 2000, Maxstor introduced their new PC disk drive storing 80 gigabytes and selling for $350.00 (or less!).
In February 2004, I checked local retail prices and found an external, 250
gigabyte hard drive for $380.00. In May 2005, a comparable 250 GB drive was $330 (a 15% increase in disk per dollar in 15 months).
Today your buying profile can be captured from that discount card you use at the grocery store. Is that a problem? The next time you apply for a job or for insurance, would you want all the information about all the over-the-counter drugs purchase to be available for review?
Today, Megan's Law calls for the disclosure to neighbors when a convicted sex offender moves into a neighborhood. How would you feel about disclosure to neighbors of all legal history whenever anyone moves in?
Or consider this:
"The real danger is the gradual erosion of individual liberties through the automation, integration, and interconnection of many small, separate record-keeping systems, each of which alone may seem innocuous, even benevolent, and wholly justifiable."
— U.S. Privacy Protection Study Commission, 1977
The information age has given us the ability to threaten privacy in everyday commerce.
These pages will not provide answers. But I hope they can help define the questions.
Related Pages on My Site
 Boycott Delta:
Delta Airlines is participating in the CAPPS II system. This system will gather private information about air travelers and make decisions about whether they can travel, without reasonable controls and without the opportunity for individuals to
correct misinformation. This page on my website serves as my "gateway" to the BoycottDelta.com site.
««»»
Don't
Spy On Us:
Bill Scannell, the same guy who started Boycott Delta, evolved that site into
Don't Spy On Us. This is my page to support his new site.
««»»
Personal
Privacy in an Information Society:
In 1977 the Privacy Protection Study Commission (PPSC) (chartered by the Privacy
Act of 1974) issued its report: Personal Privacy in an Information Society.
««»»
Privacy
Protection Study Commission (PPSC) Fair Information Practices:
This page presents a summary of the Fair Information Practices outlined in that
report.
NB: the report is sometimes incorrectly cited as
Personal
Privacy in an Information Age.
««»»
Related Pages on the Web
 Electronic Frontier Foundation: Defining Digital Identify:
This is the "entrance" page for the EFF section on digital privacy. (www.eff.org/privacy.html)
EFF's Top 12 Ways to Protect Your Online Privacy:
An excellent "short list" of ways to protect your privacy while surfing the web.
(www.eff.org/pub/Privacy/eff_privacy_top_12.html)
EFF "Privacy, Security, Crypto, & Surveillance" Archive:
An extensive list of documents. (www.eff.org/pub/Privacy/)
FTC: Privacy Online: Fair Information Practices in the Electronic Marketplace: A Report to Congress
(May 2000):
PDF text of the May 2000 report to congress. In this report, the FTC changed from advocating only self regulation to advocating legislation. (
www.ftc.gov/reports/privacy2000/privacy2000.pdf
)
FTC: Dissenting Statement of Commissioner Orson Swindle:
PDF
text of a comprehensive and strongly worded commentary of one FTC Commissioner Orson Swindle dissenting from the May 2000 Privacy Online report. (
www.ftc.gov/reports/privacy2000/swindledissent.pdf
)
FTC: Statement of Chairman Pitofsky:
Brief PDF text of a
statement by FTC Commissioner and Chairman Pitofsky supporting the May 2000 Privacy Online report. (
www.ftc.gov/reports/privacy2000/pitofskystmtonlineprivacy.htm
)
FTC: Statement of Commissioner Sheila F. Anthony:
A very
brief PDF text of a statement by FTC Commissioner Sheila F. Anthony supporting the May 2000 Privacy Online report. (
www.ftc.gov/reports/privacy2000/anthonystmt.htm
)
FTC: Statement of Commissioner Mozelle W. Thompson:
A
brief PDF text of a statement by FTC Commissioner Mozelle W. Thompson supporting the May 2000 Privacy Online report. (
www.ftc.gov/reports/privacy2000/thompsonstmt.htm
)
FTC: Press Release Announcing the May 2000 Online Privacy Report (
www.ftc.gov/opa/2000/05/privacy2k.htm
)
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse:
Originally created by the California Public Utilities Commission, PRC is now a part of the Utility Consumers' Action Network (UCAN). The organization provides information on protecting privacy. It also
has the Identity Theft Resource Center. (www.privacyrights.org/)
Smart Business
(Dec.1999)
,
"You Are Being Watched":
Today 40 million American workers are under surveillance at the office. Women make up 85 percent of that number, as they tend to occupy customer-service and data-entry positions, which are more commonly scrutinized. A recent survey by the American Management Association revealed that 40 percent of all major U.S. firms engage in some form of electronic monitoring of their employees, ranging from keystroke counting to phone and email monitoring to full-scale
hidden camera surveillance. (
www.zdnet.com/pccomp/stories/all/0,6605,2386411,00.html
)
Wired
(16.Aug.1999)
,
"Levi's Brave New World":
This
Levi's store represents the first large-scale voluntary collection of biometric marketing data in the country, if not the world. (
www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,21268,00.html
)
COPPA —
Children's Online Privacy Protection Act
COPPA Cabana: My
COPPA compliance statement. (
COPPA_cabana
)
Center for Media Education: COPPA, The First Year, A Survey of Sites: A
PDF report from April 2001 surveying COPPA compliance. Has useful examples and a discussion of practices that may actually encourage children to cheat.
««»»
CNET News.com
(29.Mar.2000)
,
"Many Web sites will pay high price for children's data": High prices to comply; large fines if you don't.
««»»
CNN.com
(25.Apr.2000)
,
"Online child privacy act proves problematic for sites": Some of the problems of compliance.
««»»
CNET News.com
(27.Apr.2000)
,
"Child privacy law locks out some Hotmail members":
The impact on Hotmail users.
««»»
CNN.com
(16.May.2000)
,
"Net Privacy Law Costs a Bundle": Expensive COPPA compliance.
««»»
Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) COPPA Page:
A good overview page that also provides current information on alleged violations.
««»»
Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) COPPA Complaint Against Amazon.com (22.Apr.2003):
Explains the substance of their complaint.
««»»
Federal Trade Commission: Final Rule on COPPA:
A PDF file discusses the comments received, the rationale for the final rule and presents the final rule. If you are a webmaster, you should read
these ninety (90!) pages of text.
««»»
Federal Trade Commission: Final Rule on COPPA (Federal Register Images):
A PDF file discusses the comments received, the rationale for the final rule and presents the
final rule. This is exactly like the other PDF file immediately prior, except that this one presents images of the Federal Register and so the text is smaller and harder to read (and is only 29 pages).
««»»
Federal Trade Commission: Text of COPPA:
This HTML page contains the text of COPPA (not the FTC implementing rules).
««»»
GigaLaw.com
(Jun.2000)
,
"Living with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act": A primer on COPPA.
««»»
GigaLaw.com
(Oct.2000)
,
"How the FTC is Enforcing the Children's Privacy Act": A progress report.
««»»
How to Comply With The Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule:
An FTC publication. A useful summary, but not a substitute for reading the complete rule and the
explanation.
««»»
How to Protect Kids' Privacy Online:
An FTC publication.
««»»
How to Protect Kids' Privacy Online (PDF):
A PDF version of the same FTC publication.
««»»
JimWorld: PrivacyWorld:
This section of JimWorld provides information on COPPA.
««»»
JimWorld: PrivacyWorld: For Further Reading About COPPA:
This page on the JimWorld site includes a link back to this COPPA Cabana page you are reading now.
««»»
KidsPrivacy.org:
A project of the Center for Media Education (CME). The site offers general information on COPPA.
««»» NB: on 10.Apr.2003 this site appears to be unavailable. However, it is still listed on the CME site. I've written for clarification.
On 24.Dec.2003, the site is gone, the domain name has been snapped up by a
domain name reseller and the CME site is also gone.
 Law.com
(13.Apr.2000)
,
"Cyberspace Privacy Policy Is Being Created in Internet Time":
Discusses the speed of the development of privacy policies in the online world.
««»»
(requires subscription; free trial available; see below)
Law.com
(23.Jun.2000)
,
"FTC's Reversal on Internet Privacy -- And What It Means":
Discusses the policy change at the FTC from preferring self regulation to recommending Congress enact privacy laws.
««»»
(requires subscription; free trial available; see below)
Law.com
(28.Apr.2000)
,
"Is the Internet Safe for Consumers?":
Discusses developing laws protecting consumers on the internet.
««»»
(requires subscription; free trial available; see below)
Law.com
(17.Jul.2000)
,
"Lawyers Wrestle With Online Privacy":
An exploration of the legal and business issues of online privacy. Part of the Legal Professionals section of Law.com.
««»»
Law.com
(29.Oct.1999)
,
"Minefields Hopscotch: Introduction To Web Site Privacy Law":
Provides an overview of privacy law on the net.
««»»
(requires subscription; free trial available; see below)
SF Gate
(21.Apr.2000)
,
"Youth Privacy Net Law Takes Effect, Many Web Site Operators Worry They'll Lose Money On Children's Market":
Why some sites are abandoning the children's market.
««»»
SmartGirl.com:
An online privacy and safety survey. 77% said they would lie about their age to gain access.
««»»
Wired News
(20.Apr.2000)
,
"Kids'
Privacy an Act, or Action?":
Getting ready the day before COPPA goes live.
««»»
Wired News
(01.May.2000)
,
"Protecting Kids, Here and There": Some of the issues in protecting our children.
««»»
Wired News
(06.May.2000)
,
"FTC Spanks Kids Site on Privacy": One
of the first COPPA enforcement actions.
««»»
Wired News
(13.May.2000)
,
"COPPA
Lets Steam out of Thomas": How COPPA is ending child access on some sites.
««»»
ZDNet Inter@ctive Week
(16.Mar.2000)
,
"The COPPA Is Not Patrolling the Net": A brief discussion before the act became effective.
««»»
ZDNet News
(13.Mar.2000)
,
"COPPA: Locked, loaded, patrolling the Net": Getting ready for the implementation.
««»»
ZDNET News
(20.Apr.2000)
,
"Sites Brace for COPPA Fallout": A child (under 13) explains "I might as well lie about my age." as sites drop support for children.
««»»
ZDNet News
(24.Apr.2000)
,
"COPPA Cost Too High For Some Sites": Discusses how sites are abandoning children as a result of COPPA.
««»»
ZDNet News
(24.Apr.2000)
,
"COPPA kicks up controversy": A discussion about whether COPPA will work.
««»»
ZDNet News
(04.May.2000)
,
"Parents' Net 'dreams and nightmares'": Parents surveyed say they fear the net and at the same time are positive about it's potential.
««»»
ZDNet News
(04.May.2000)
,
"digitalcapital: FastFacts": New studies show that computers and the Internet are giving parents and kids something new to disagree about.
««»»
ZDNet News
(22.May.2000)
,
"Are tech-savvy kids controllable?": New studies show that computers and the Internet are giving parents and kids something new to disagree about.
««»»
Law.com
Most of the Law.com links shown require a subscription. (Note that at least one does not require a subscription and is free.) However, Law.com offers a free 30-day trial subscription and the option to bill. Using this option web visitors can, on a one time basis, access the site to see these articles, as well as search for other articles and read new articles for 30 days without charge.
CIPEA —
Consumer Internet Privacy Enhancement Act
CIPEA Tone: My CIPEA compliance statement. (NB: CIPEA is not yet a law. But why wait for a bill to become law. I comply even before it is a
law!) (
CIPEA_Tone
)
S 2938, Consumer Internet Privacy Enhancement Act:
This page, on the Thomas site of the Library of Congress, provides the text of the act, as well
as a link to the Government Printing Office's PDF version of the bill and the status of the bill.
««»»
S 2938, Consumer Internet Privacy Enhancement Act (on my site):
This is a temporary file and only exists because of an error in the "official" version on
the website of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Use theirs first. But if theirs doesn't work, I've got mine here.
««»»
Computerworld
(27.Jul.2000)
,
"Senators Propose Web Data Privacy Bill":
A brief announcement about the introduction of CIPEA, the Consumer Internet Privacy Enhancement Act.
««»»
FTC: Privacy Online: Fair Information Practices in the Electronic Marketplace: A Report to Congress
(May 2000):
PDF
text of the May 2000 report to congress. In this report, the FTC changed from advocating only self regulation to advocating legislation.
««»»
FTC: Dissenting Statement of Commissioner Orson Swindle:
PDF text of a comprehensive and strongly worded commentary of
one FTC Commissioner Orson Swindle dissenting from the May 2000 Privacy Online report.
««»»
FTC: Statement of Chairman Pitofsky: Brief PDF text of a statement by FTC Commissioner and Chairman Pitofsky supporting the May
2000 Privacy Online report.
««»»
FTC: Statement of Commissioner Sheila F. Anthony:
A very brief PDF text of a statement by FTC Commissioner Sheila F. Anthony
supporting the May 2000 Privacy Online report.
««»»
FTC: Statement of Commissioner Mozelle W. Thompson: A brief PDF text of a statement by FTC Commissioner Mozelle W. Thompson
supporting the May 2000 Privacy Online report.
««»»
FTC: Press Release Announcing the May 2000 Online Privacy Report
««»»
ZDNet.com
(26.Jul.2000)
,
"McCain Introduces Net Privacy Bill": A brief announcement about the introduction of CIPEA, the Consumer Internet Privacy Enhancement Act.
««»»
|
