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White House Updates Privacy Policy, Maintains Anonymous Access But Also Data Retention

A revised privacy policy for the White House will go into effect on April 18, 2014. Users will continue to be able to access information posted on the White House web site anonymously, though personal information will be required for some services. The data retention practice has not changed nor has the policy for the disclosure of personal data to other entities. According to the White House privacy policy, "Information you choose to share with the White House (directly and via third party sites) may be treated as public information." The White House had previously proposed a "Plan to Protect Privacy in the Internet Age by Adopting a Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights", though the policy does not reflect this approach. In the first report ever published on online privacy, "Surfer Beware: Personal Privacy and the Internet," EPIC said web sites should "support anonymity while developing policies and practices to protect information privacy." EPIC had also urged the White House to establish Privacy Act safeguard for the use of social media services. EPIC For more information, see EPIC: Privacy and Government Contracts with Social Media Companies.

March 24, 2014| Share: