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October 2009 Archives

October 1, 2009

"Global Privacy and Data Security Law and Policy for the Web"

Marc Rotenberg,
EPIC Executive Director

Covington & Burling
Washington, DC
October 1, 2009

October 6, 2009

TSA Expands Passenger Electronic Strip Search Program

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has plans to greatly expand its use of whole body imaging machines at airports around the country. The x-ray machines, which each cost over $100,000, capture detailed, graphic images of passengers' naked bodies. In June, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a measure that would restrict TSA's use of these machines. The measure is pending in the Senate. The Privacy Coalition has urged the Department of Homeland Security to suspend the program until privacy and security risks can be fully evaluated. EPIC has also filed Freedom of Information Act requests for the contracts with the vendor Rapiscan. For more information, see EPIC Whole Body Imaging Technology and EPIC Spotlight on Surveillance.

October 7, 2009

ECD Foresight Forum on "Cloud Computing"

Katitza Rodriguez
CSISAC Liaison
Director, EPIC International Privacy Program

Paris, France
October 14, 2009

OECD ICCP Meeting

OECD ICCP Meeting

Katitza Rodriguez
CSISAC Liaison
Director, EPIC International Privacy Program

Paris, France
October 15-16, 2009

The Public Voice: Global Privacy Standards in a Global World

The Public Voice: Global Privacy Standards in a Global World

Marc Rotenberg, EPIC Executive Director

Katitza Rodriguez Director, EPIC International Privacy Program

Melia Castilla Hotel
Madrid, Spain
November 3, 2009

European Commissioner Calls for Privacy Safeguards for Internet

Commissioner Viviane Reding, head of European policy for Information Society and Media, reaffirmed support for an open Internet and called for new initiatives for "the protection of privacy and personal data in the online environment." Reding cited three commercial developments that require close attention: social networking, behavioral advertising and RFID "smart chips." EPIC will be hosting an international conference on privacy protection in Madrid, in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Data Protection Commissioners, that will explore these topics and other related issues.

October 13, 2009

End-to-End Voting System Workshop

End-to-End Voting System Workshop

Lillie Coney,
EPIC Associate Director

The George Washington University, Marvin Center
Third Floor Amphitheatre
Washington, DC
October 13-14, 2009

HHS to Explore Scope of Personally Identifiable Health Information, Seeks Public comments

The Department of Health and Human Services plans to modify sections of the federal Privacy Rule, issued under HIPAA. The proposed changes would clarify the scope of privacy and confidentiality of genetic information. More specifically, HHS proposes to modify the Privacy Rule, taking into account the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, to prohibit health plans from using or disclosing personally identifiable health information, which would explicitly include genetic information, for underwriting purposes. Public comments on the proposed rule are due December 7, 2009. EPIC is recommending that HHS pay particular attention to the problem of data reidentification. For more information, see EPIC's Genetic Privacy Page.

October 16, 2009

California Governor Vetoes Consumer Privacy Bill, but Signs Bill to Strengthen Celebrity Privacy

Governor Schwarzenegger has terminated S.B. 20, a bill that would have strengthened California's data breach laws by requiring that consumers be notified every time their privacy was compromised. But the Governor and "Terminator" star signed A.B. 524, an amendment to California's current anti-paparazzi law that will protect the privacy of celebrities by making it easier to sue photographers and media outlets for taking or purchasing unauthorized pictures. For more information about privacy in California, see the California Office of Information Security and Privacy Protection.

October 19, 2009

EPIC Urges Court to Protect Speech of Privacy Advocate

Today, EPIC filed a "friend of the court" brief with the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, urging the court to hold that the First Amendment protects the speech of Betty Ostergren, a privacy advocate. Ostergren runs a Website that republishes Social Security Numbers, collected from public records, to persuade Virginia lawmakers to stop releasing documents that reveal Social Security Numbers. Under Virginia law, Ostergren could be prosecuted for publishing SSNs, even though Virginia makes the numbers widely available. A lower court held that the law violated Ostergren's First Amendment rights. Virginia appealed. EPIC's brief urges the appeals court to uphold the lower court's ruling. For more information, see EPIC Ostergren v. McDonnell, EPIC Social Security Numbers, and EPIC Identity Theft.

"Youth & Information Dissemination: Information Quality, Reputation, and Privacy"

Marc Rotenberg,
EPIC Executive Director

Berkman Center
Harvard Law School
Cambridge, MA
October 22, 2009

October 20, 2009

Living Online: Privacy and Security Issues in a Digital Age

Living Online: Privacy and Security Issues in a Digital Age

Lillie Coney,
EPIC Associate Director

Center for American Progress
Washington, DC
November 3, 2009

House Members Introduce PATRIOT and FISA Reform Bills

Representatives Conyers, Nadler, and Scott introduced two bills today that would amend the PATRIOT Act and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The Patriot Amendments Act of 2009 will enhance reporting and judicial oversight of law enforcement powers, including the National Security Letter process. The FISA Amendments Act of 2009 will place new limits on the government's ability to collect and store Americans' communications without a warrant and repeals retroactive immunity. For more information, see EPIC FISA, EPIC PATRIOT Act.

October 22, 2009

Public Knowledge, EPIC, Other Public Interest Groups Urge FCC to Ensure Open Internet

EPIC has signed on to a letter from Public Knowledge to the Federal Communications Commission supporting the FCC's decision to begin public proceedings on preserving an open internet. EPIC joins many other public interest groups who have also expressed support for the FCC's initiative. The FCC's proceedings will focus on proposed rulemaking policies that would preserve open internet. EPIC favors the general principles of "network neutrality" and has called on the FCC to preserve privacy safeguards against measures that Internet Service Providers may use to limit access to the internet. For more information, see also EPIC Deep Packet Inspection.

October 23, 2009

Privacy Coalition Seeks Investigation of DHS Chief Privacy Office

EPIC joined the Privacy Coalition letter sent to the House Committee on Homeland Security urging them to investigate the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Chief Privacy Office. DHS is unrivaled in its authority to develop and deploy new systems of surveillance. The letter cited DHS use of Fusion Center, Whole Body Imaging, funding of CCTV Surveillance, and Suspicionless Electronic Border Searches as examples of where the agency is eroding privacy protections.  EPIC Fusion Centers, EPIC Whole Body Imaging, and EPIC CCTV.

October 29, 2009

European Commission Takes Action Against UK, Deep Packet Inspection

The European Commission announced that the UK government has failed to comply with Europe's ePrivacy Directive and Data Protection Directive. European laws state that EU countries must ensure the confidentiality of electronic communications by prohibiting unlawful interception and surveillance. The EC statement specifically cited unlawful interception under the UK Regulation of Information Powers Act. This marks the second phase of an infringement proceeding that was filed earlier this year against the UK. The case follows complaints about the use of Phorm's Deep Packet Inspection technology. For more information, see EPIC Deep Packet Inspection and Privacy and Human Rights Report.

October 30, 2009

Facebook Updates Privacy Policy in Response to Canadian Privacy Investigation

Facebook released a revised privacy policy. The updated policy provides a more concise description of the privacy practices of the developers of third-party applications. Facebook also announced that it will evaluate the collection of user data by application developers. According to a blog post, the revised policy is a response to a complaint filed by Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic in 2008, and attempts to “[fulfill] our commitment to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada to update our privacy policy to better describe a number of practices.” Concerns remain about the use of Facebook users' data. For more information, see EPIC Facebook Privacy.

About October 2009

This page contains all entries posted to epic.org in October 2009. They are listed from oldest to newest.

September 2009 is the previous archive.

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