Privacy Issues
Google/Yahoo and Microsoft Face Off in Senate Judiciary Hearing
Jul 15, 2008 | The Senate Judiciary's subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights is holding a hearing this morning to learn more Read More
Google, CNET Employees' Data Stolen
Jul 7, 2008 | Last Thursday, News.com reported that someone broke into an HR outsourcing company and stole several computers containing unencrypted data that Read More
Tech Policy Summit '08 Podcasts Available
Apr 8, 2008 | We're happy to report that the podcasts from the 2008 Tech Policy Summit, which took place at the Renaissance hotel Read More
Kara Swisher at Tech Policy Summit
Apr 1, 2008 | Kara Swisher of AllThingsD.com hosted two roundtables at last week's Tech Policy Summit in Hollywood. The first one featured AOL's chief Read More
CDT's Health Privacy Project
Mar 11, 2008 | The Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) made a series of announcements today that signal its growing interest in the Read More
Kentucky Bill Seeks Ban on Anonymous Content
Mar 10, 2008 | A Kentucky state legislator named Tim Couch is quickly making a name for himself on the Internet after introducing a Read More
Military Asks Google to Remove Photos
Mar 7, 2008 | Apparently, privacy advocates aren't the only one paying attention to Google's Street View map service (a subject we wrote about Read More
REAL ID: States Buy Time With Extensions
Mar 4, 2008 | News.com's Declan McCullagh has written a follow-up to his February report on which U.S. states will and will not be Read More
Net Safety In The News
Feb 29, 2008 | The fight to make the Internet a safer place for kids and teens made headlines this week. First, the European Read More
Senate's New Anti-Phishing Bill Raises Privacy Concerns
Feb 27, 2008 | Citing data from Gartner that about 3.5 million computer users were tricked by phishing scams between 2006 and 2007, resulting Read More
Pilot Testing Google Health
Feb 21, 2008 | The news broke this morning that Google is launching a pilot project with a group of volunteers at the Cleveland Read More
UK's Three-Strikes Rule Against Piracy
Feb 12, 2008 | According to U.K. newspaper The Times, the British government plans to consider new copyright enforcement legislation that includes a tough Read More
The Lowdown on REAL ID
Feb 7, 2008 | It's been less than a month since the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued its final rule on the Read More
EU Court Rules in ISP's Copyright Case
Jan 29, 2008 | The European Court of Justice issued a new ruling today that is designed to prevent ISPs in the EU from Read More
President's State of the Union: Tech Highlights
Jan 29, 2008 | As a follow-up to our earlier post about the President Bush's State of the Union address, here is a summary Read More
Canada's Copyright Bill Raises Privacy Concerns
Jan 22, 2008 | The Canadian government is expected to introduce its DMCA-inspired copyright reform legislation soon and, while the details have yet to Read More
Tech Policy Summit, Take Two
Jan 16, 2008 | It has been a while since we previewed the agenda for our 2nd annual Tech Policy Summit conference, taking place Read More
The Radioactivity of Electronic Data
Jan 15, 2008 | Science fiction writer and blogger Cory Doctorow, who is also an Electronic Frontier Foundation fellow, makes a case for why Read More
Chertoff: Real ID Helps Fight Terrorism, Illegal Immigration & ID Theft
Jan 11, 2008 | Speaking at the National Press Club in D.C. earlier today, Department of Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff announced that DHS Read More
The New Yorker on Google's D.C. Ambitions
Jan 8, 2008 | Does Google, which has become one of America's ten richest corporations, have too much power? That's one of the questions Read More
Who's Watching Whom? The Other Side of Surveillance
Jan 7, 2008 | In an editorial last week, Computerworld reporter Mike Elgan declared his support for a "surveillance society" where government officials aren't Read More
Think Ad Tracking Threatens Privacy? Tell the FTC.
Dec 21, 2007 | While the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted 4-1 yesterday to approve Google's acquisition of DoubleClick after concluding that the merger Read More
Privacy Groups Push for FTC Chair's Recusal
Dec 18, 2007 | According to the San Jose Mercury News, the Center for Digital Democracy (CDD) and the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) Read More
Taking It To The Streets
Dec 14, 2007 | Earlier this week, Google launched its Street View feature in six more metropolitan areas, including Boston, Dallas and Detroit. The Read More
Ask.com: We're Serious About Privacy
Dec 11, 2007 | Today is the day that Ask.com makes good on its promise to launch its AskEraser service, which is designed to Read More
Facebook's About Face: Beacon Now Opt-In
Nov 30, 2007 | Facebook announced that it's changing its Beacon advertising program from opt-out to opt-in, giving members more control over what info Read More
Lost in Translation? Differences on Google Case in Israel
Nov 28, 2007 | Yesterday morning, a report in Techdirt said that Google had been ordered by an Israeli court to turn over information about Read More
UK Worried about Teens' Electronic Footprint
Nov 27, 2007 | A new survey of 2,000 teens and young adults in the United Kingdom found that 71 percent of them hope Read More
Is Facebook's Beacon Backfiring?
Nov 23, 2007 | As you've probably heard by now, social networking site Facebook has come under fire this week because political action group Read More
DNA Meets Social Networking
Nov 19, 2007 | Thanks to a Silicon Valley startup named 23andMe, there's a new way for you to get to know yourself and your Read More
This Week's Videos
Nov 19, 2007 | If you haven't checked out the Media Vault yet today, we've posted three new clips: If you're a fan of Read More
Obama's Innovation Agenda
Nov 14, 2007 | Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama is in the Bay Area today, where he'll speak to Googlers at the company's Mountain View Read More
RFID Meets Digital Health
Nov 6, 2007 | A British healthcare manufacturer and an American startup specializing in wireless sensor technologies have teamed up to develop a product that Read More
Making Cookies Easier to Understand
Nov 5, 2007 | Harvard's Berkman Center recently organized a YouTube video contest, sponsored by Google, to find the best consumer-driven explanation of Web cookies. The brainchild of Read More
ACLU's Criticism of Real ID Intensifies
Nov 4, 2007 | It's no secret that a number of states are opposed to the Real ID Act, the plan that would require them to revamp state-issued driver's licenses Read More
WSJ: Yahoo! Exec Apologizes to House Committee
Nov 2, 2007 | The Wall Street Journal (sub required) reports that Yahoo!'s executive vice president and general counsel Michael Callahan has apologized to Read More
ICANN Rejects WHOIS Privacy Changes
Oct 31, 2007 | According to the Associated Press, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) voted today to "defer long-simmering questions on Read More
Update: AOL Launches Privacy Education Program
Oct 31, 2007 | In an update to our earlier report on Internet do-not-track lists, AOL announced this morning that it's launching its own Read More
Privacy Advocates Want Internet "Do-Not-Track" List
Oct 31, 2007 | The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is hosting a two-day workshop this week to investigate consumer protection issues related to online behavioral advertising, the practice of Read More
CDT, Others Fight Child Online Protection Act
Oct 30, 2007 | The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) and 17 other organizations collaborated on a "friend of the court" brief that CDT submitted Read More
WSJ: Google-powered Phones in '08?
Oct 30, 2007 | Speculation about Google's desire to develop its own mobile phone, dubbed the gPhone, has been running rampant for most of the Read More
Notification of Data Breaches
Oct 29, 2007 | For at least a few more days, it is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, and one of the key policy priorities for Read More
ICANN Meeting Considers Privacy of Domain Reg Data
Oct 26, 2007 | The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is preparing for its 30th international public meeting in Los Angeles Read More
WSJ: Google's Lessons on Doing Business in Brazil
Oct 19, 2007 | The front page of The Wall Street Journal features an article about Google's social networking site Orkut that reads as Read More
Microsoft Launches HealthVault
Oct 4, 2007 | Microsoft launched a new Web site today designed to offer consumers a free service for organizing and sharing their Read More
Startup Listens to VoIP Calls to Serve Ads
Sep 24, 2007 | The Associated Press ran a profile of a new startup called, of all things, Puddingmedia, which has developed a new Read More
DHS Secretary Talks to Congress about Real ID
Sep 6, 2007 | DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff was on Capitol Hill yesterday to speak with the House's Homeland Security committee, chaired by Rep. Read More
Universal's DRM Test Begins, Amid Watermarking Concerns
Aug 21, 2007 | Today is the day that Universal Music Group (UMG) starts its 23-week experiment of selling music without digital rights management Read More
Google, Microsoft and Your Digital Health
Aug 14, 2007 | In today's New York Times, Steve Lohr writes about how tech titans Google and Microsoft hope to revolutionize the healthcare Read More
CDT Compares Search Firms' Privacy Plans
Aug 8, 2007 | The D.C.-based Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) has released a report today called "Search Privacy Practices: A Work in Read More
A Sea Change in Privacy?
Aug 1, 2007 | We've pointed to a number of news stories lately about data privacy, like this one about how search companies are Read More
Privacy as Control?
Jul 24, 2007 | While the challenge of protecting individual privacy on the Web is nothing new, the issue is particulary tricky for social Read More
Search and Privacy
Jul 23, 2007 | Following announcements by Google and Ask.com last week, News.com reports that "the major search engines are racing to outdo each Read More
Ask.com Introducing New Privacy Controls
Jul 20, 2007 | The Associated Press is reporting that Ask.com, the search engine owned by InterActivCorp, will launch a feature called AskEraser later Read More
Op-Ed Warns of RFID "Scare Tactics"
Jul 13, 2007 | Earlier this week, Jim Sheire of NXP Semiconductors wrote this op-ed in the San Jose Mercury News in response to Read More
Google on EU's Data Retention Directive
Jul 11, 2007 | At Google's policy blog, the company's global privacy counsel Peter Fleischer writes about privacy concerns surrounding data retention laws in Read More
RFID Bill Is Back In CA
Jun 20, 2007 | The California legislature is again considering a bill to toughen security and privacy measures in government-issued identification cards that contain Read More
Google's Policy Blog Open for Business
Jun 18, 2007 | Google unveiled its new policy blog today, with a welcome post by Andrew McLaughlin, Director of Public Policy and Government Read More
ATT Partners With Hollywood on Piracy Initiative
Jun 13, 2007 | The Los Angeles Times (free sub required) and Red Herring reported yesterday that AT&T is partnering with Hollywood film studios Read More
NYT: FTC Opens Investigation of Google-DoubleClick Deal
May 29, 2007 | The New York Times' Steve Lohr reports that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has opened a "preliminary antitrust investigation" into Read More
Backlash Against RFID?
May 22, 2007 | In a recent CNNMoney.com article called "Backlash against RFID is growing," writer Chris Zappone takes a look at the concerns Read More
FTC Receives Complaint About Google-DoubleClick Merger
Apr 20, 2007 | The Associated Press reported that three consumer groups filed a complaint today with the Federal Trade Commission, asking the Commission Read More
Tech Politics Podcast:Taxation, Real ID
Apr 13, 2007 | With tax day just around the corner, News.com's Tech Politics Podcast focuses on the issue of Internet taxation. Hosts Declan Read More
States Say No to Real ID Act
Apr 13, 2007 | Citing concerns about privacy and costs, InformationWeek reported that Washington has become the lastest state to pass legislation opposing the Read More
Closer Monitoring of Email/Mobile Calls Possible in Europe
Feb 20, 2007 | According to an article that first appeared in the International Herald Tribune (available here on News.com), some European countries are Read More
Sen. Sununu Seeks Oversight of Federal Data Mining
Feb 19, 2007 | On Thursday, Senator John Sununu (R-NH) announced that the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, of which he is Read More
Data Retention Bill Introduced in House
Feb 7, 2007 | News.com's Declan McCullagh (one of the session hosts at Tech Policy Summit) reported yesterday evening on new data retention and Read More
New Effort to Protect Free Expression and Privacy Online
Jan 19, 2007 | According to a news release issued yesterday by Business for Social Responsibility and the Center for Democracy and Technology, a Read More
Data Mining Bill Reintroduced
Jan 10, 2007 | At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing this morning on balancing privacy and security, Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) announced that he, Read More
News.com's Year In Review
Dec 25, 2006 | The team at News.com is running a "year in review" series that looks at some of the biggest developments in Read More
Reactions to McCain/Schumer bill
Dec 12, 2006 | Last week, we posted about MySpace.com's plans to cross-reference its membership against a database of registered sex offenders. Separately, we Read More
Bill Would Try to Restrict Sex Offenders' Web Access
Dec 7, 2006 | According to a Reuters report on News.com, during the next session of Congress, Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Charles Schumer Read More
Companies Partner to Help Employees Manage E-Health Records
Dec 6, 2006 | Mercury News reports that Intel, Applied Materials, BP America, Pitney-Bowes and Wal-Mart are investing in a non-profit called the Omnimedix Read More
MySpace's Move to Ban Sex Offenders
Dec 6, 2006 | The New York Times (free sub required) reports that social networking site MySpace.com, which has over 130 million members, is Read More
RFID Credit Cards Come Under Fire
Dec 5, 2006 | According to an Associated Press report that ran in Yahoo! News, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) held a press conference over Read More
Study Examines Online Censorship Around the Globe
Nov 13, 2006 | Wired News has a story today about the work of the OpenNet Initative (ONI), a collaboration between Harvard's Berkman Center Read More
Free FTC Conference Webcast Today and Tomorrow
Nov 7, 2006 | If you aren't able to be there in person, you can check out this week's FTC's "Protecting Consumers in the Read More
UN Meeting Addresses Net Governance
Nov 1, 2006 | As we mentioned in this post last month, the United Nations' Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is hosting its first international Read More
"Blogs Just Scare the Pants Off of Me"
Oct 18, 2006 | After discovering that its employees were spending "thousands of hours a week and potentially more than $2 million a year Read More
Will Congress Mandate Online Data Retention?
Sep 27, 2006 | According to News.com, Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) of Colorado is reportedly working with Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY) and Joe Barton Read More
Calif.'s RFID Privacy Bill Passes
Sep 1, 2006 | Earlier this week, the California State Senate passed a bill aimed at toughening security and privacy requirements for use of Read More
Even More Uses for Your Cell Phone
Aug 25, 2006 | Most cell phones today allow users to check email, surf the Net, play games, snap photos, chat on IM, listen Read More
IRS Considers Tightening Online Tax Reporting
Aug 23, 2006 | Individuals and businesses that sell goods online may find themselves facing tougher tax rules. According to CNNMoney.com, the IRS is Read More
Ad Campaign to Warn Teens about Online Predators
Aug 22, 2006 | The Department of Justice issued a press release yesterday announcing a new ad campaign that encourages teenage girls to be Read More
Exploring the Impact of E-Health Records
Aug 20, 2006 | In today's New York Times, Steve Lohr takes a look at how electronic health records may not only modernize the Read More
Coalition Promotes Safer Side of Smart Cards
Aug 17, 2006 | On Wednesday, a group of companies involved in developing digital security solutions announced the formation of the Secure ID Coalition Read More
CDT Weighs In On DOPA
Aug 11, 2006 | Leslie Harris, Executive Director of the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), blogged today about the Center's opposition to the Read More
RFID-enabled Passports Set to Debut Next Week
Jul 30, 2006 | Computerworld reports that the U.S. State Department expects to start issuing "e-Passports" next week that contain data about the passport Read More
More on DOPA From the 463
Jul 30, 2006 | As we posted on Friday, the House passed the DOPA bill 410 to 15, opening the door for sweeping restrictions Read More
House Passes Bill Restricting Access to Popular Web Sites
Jul 27, 2006 | The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly, 410-15, in favor of the Deleting Online Predators Act of 2006, otherwise known as Read More
Microsoft Announces e-Health Investment
Jul 26, 2006 | ZDNet reports that Microsoft announced an alliance with MedStar Health today related to Azyxxi, a healthcare software system that compiles Read More
Exploring "The Price of Virtual Living"
Jul 18, 2006 | An article in CNN.com takes a look at how spending more time online is affecting the way we live, work Read More
Senate RFID Caucus Holds First Meeting
Jul 14, 2006 | Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and John Cornyn (R-TX) launched their bipartisan RFID caucus yesterday to demonstrate their support for RFID Read More
House Considers Limiting Access to Certain Sites As Part of DOPA
Jul 13, 2006 | The House's Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet held a hearing earlier this week on the Deleting Online Predators Act Read More
China Steps Up Monitoring of Blogs
Jun 30, 2006 | The Micro Persuasion blog points to a Xinhua news article about efforts by the Chinese government to control the content Read More
Clinton Calls for Privacy Czar
Jun 21, 2006 | According to News.com, potential presidential candidate Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) called for the creation of a "privacy czar" within Read More
To Store or Not to Store: Should Net Companies Retain Data for Feds?
Jun 5, 2006 | Over the weekend, the Washington Post reported on a meeting last Friday between federal law enforcement officials and representatives from Read More
Congress Considers Banning Social Media in Public Schools, Libraries
May 11, 2006 | According to News.com, some members of Congress are reacting to recent media reports of online child predator cases by trying Read More
Data Breach Legislation Stalling
May 8, 2006 | ComputerWorld reports that it is becoming less likely that Congress will pass any data breach notification legislation this year, despite Read More
Talk Amongst Yourselves
May 5, 2006 | The Wall Street Journal Online asked Vinton Cerf and Esther Dyson about their thoughts on what the Internet might be Read More
EFF's Suit Against AT&T
Apr 10, 2006 | The Electronic Frontier Foundation, whose stated charter is " to defend freedom in the digital world," filed a class action Read More
Update: DOJ/Google Case
Mar 15, 2006 | As a follow-up on our blog post from yesterday, the Washington Post reported that a U.S. District Judge in San Read More
Social Security Numbers Fair Game?
Mar 6, 2006 | According to Computerworld, a class action lawsuit is being filed against Ohio's Secretary of State for posting records online that Read More
RFID Progress at Wal-Mart
Mar 2, 2006 | RFID is one emerging technology that has been creating a buzz in the legislature. While some are trying to understand Read More
Stop Badware Organizes to Drive Change
Feb 21, 2006 | The 463 blog reports on a new site called StopBadware.org that aims to increase consumer awareness and involvement in its Read More
Should Google Give Up Search Data?
Feb 18, 2006 | As part of its upcoming trial over a 1998 law designed to protect children from Internet pornography, the Justice Department Read More
