EPIC Alert 18.03
======================================================================= E P I C A l e r t ======================================================================= Volume 18.03 February 15, 2011 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Published by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) Washington, D.C. http://www.epic.org/alert/epic_alert_1803.html "Defend Privacy. Support EPIC." http://epic.org/donate Report All Screening Experiences at EPIC Body Scanner Incident Report http://epic.org/bodyscanner/incident_report/ ======================================================================= Table of Contents ======================================================================= [1] Senate Seeks to Curtail Current TSA Screening Procedures [2] Congress Unfriends Facebook [3] Chairman Issa Investigates "Political Review" Policy at DHS [4] EPIC Opposes Secret Evidence in Body Scanner Lawsuit [5] NJ Supreme Court: Expungement Statute Does Not Cover Private Facts [6] News In Brief [7] EPIC Book Review: "State Power and Democracy" [8] Upcoming Conferences and Events TAKE ACTION: Stop Airport Strip Searches! - JOIN Facebook Group "Stop Airport Strip Searches" and INVITE Friends - DISPLAY the IMAGE http://thepublicvoice.org/nakedmachine.jpg - SUPPORT EPIC http://www.epic.org/donate/ ======================================================================= [1] Senate Seeks to Curtail Current TSA Screening Procedures ======================================================================= Senator Tom Udall of New Mexico has introduced Senate Amendment 51, which would require the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to curtail current body scanner procedures by January 1, 2012. The TSA will be required to install software that will block the images of passengers' naked bodies that TSA officials currently obtain. Senator Udall cited "the privacy of airline passengers" and "significant privacy concerns" in a letter to constituents explaining the legislative measure. The Senator explained that the Amendment would mean "a separate TSA officer will no longer be required to view the image in a remotely-located viewing room." Udall also emphasized that the full pat-down option the TSA rolled out in November of 2010 failed to provide an effective alternative for passengers mindful of risks to their privacy. On February 2, 2011, EPIC filed a new Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the TSA seeking compliance with its request for documents relating to the new procedures. EPIC's FOIA Project was responsible for the initial revelations that TSA's body scanner devices were designed to capture, store, and transfer the naked images they render. In a separate suit in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, EPIC has requested a full suspension of the body scanner program, as it is invasive, unlawful, and ineffective. Oral argument for EPIC's suit is scheduled for March 10, 2011. Amendment 51 (Sen. Tom Udall) http://epic.org/privacy/body_scanners/S_Amend_51_Udall.pdf Sen. Tom Udall's Constituent Letter http://www.epic.org/redirect/021111UdallLTR.html EPIC: EPIC v. DHS (Suspension of Body Scanners) http://www.epic.org/redirect/021111EPICvDHS.html EPIC: Automated Target Recognition FOIA Complaint http://epic.org/privacy/body_scanners/Complaint_ATR2010-06-15.pdf EPIC: Whole Body Imaging Technology http://epic.org/privacy/airtravel/backscatter/ ======================================================================= [2] Congress Unfriends Facebook ======================================================================= A February 2011 letter from Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) to Mark Zuckerberg questions Facebook's plans to make users' addresses and mobile phone numbers available to websites and application developers. After heavy criticism, Facebook has suspended the policy, but said it would go forward once it had made further changes. EPIC Executive Director Marc Rotenberg said that, "Facebook is trying to blur the line between public and private information. And the request for permission does not make clear to the user why the information is needed or how it will be used." Congressmen Markey and Barton have previously written to Facebook, responding to news that the social media giant's business partners transmitted personal user data to advertising and Internet tracking companies, in direct violation of Facebook's policies. EPIC, joined by many consumer and privacy organizations, has two complaints pending at the Federal Trade Commission charging that Facebook's earlier changes to users' privacy settings constitute unfair and deceptive trade practices. The Commission has failed to act on either of these complaints. However, Facebook also has made a positive move to protect users' privacy, announcing that they would be switching to full session encryption, through HTTPS. Though the change is not yet the default setting, users will be able to opt into HTTPS through their "Account Settings." The switch to an encrypted network will promote both privacy and security, particularly when users access Facebook from public Internet access points. Previously, Facebook only used HTTPS when users' passwords were being sent to the site. Third party applications currently do not support HTTPS. EPIC has previously recommended the adoption of strong privacy techniques for cloud-based services. In 2009, EPIC filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, urging an investigation into Google's cloud computing services to determine the adequacy of privacy and security safeguards, but the Commission did not act on this complaint either. Google subsequently established HTTPS by default for Gmail. Reps. Markey and Barton: Letter to Facebook (February 2, 2011) http://epic.org/privacy/facebook/Barton-Markey_FB_2-2-11.pdf Facebook: Addresses and Mobile Phone Numbers http://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/447 Reps. Markey and Barton: Letter to Facebook (October 18. 2010) http://www.epic.org/redirect/021111MarkeyBartonLTR.html Facebook: HTTPS http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=486790652130 EPIC: FTC Cloud Computing Complaint (March 17, 2009) http://epic.org/privacy/cloudcomputing/google/ftc031709.pdf EPIC: Facebook http://epic.org/privacy/facebook/ EPIC: In Re Facebook http://epic.org/privacy/inrefacebook/ EPIC: In Re Facebook II http://epic.org/privacy/facebook/in_re_facebook_ii.html EPIC: Cloud Computing http://epic.org/privacy/cloudcomputing/ ======================================================================= [3] Chairman Issa Investigates "Political Review" Policy at DHS ======================================================================= Rep. Darrell E. Issa (R-CA), chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, issued a letter to Secretary Janet Napolitano demanding that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) release all documents regarding its policy of vetting Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests through political appointees. "The public has a right to know what its government is doing," Rep. Issa stated. Issa seeks documents released to the Office of the Inspector General, the Associated Press, and other congressional offices; e-mail between DHS personnel and the White House; and Responsive e-mails to or from front office personnel regarding FOIA. Rep. Issa, citing President Obama's open government and transparency memorandum, questioned the agency's adherence to those principles. After a September briefing by Chief Privacy Officer Mary Ellen Callahan concerning DHS's directive that required certain FOIA requests to be vetted by political appointees, Callahan claimed to Issa that this was not, in fact, the policy. Based on these assertions, Rep. Issa decided to delay the committee's inquiry. However, when further evidence was brought to his attention in January 2011 that DHS did have a policy of vetting requests, Rep. Issa concluded that that the evidence "raise[d] questions about the Department's commitment to the President's effort to create 'an unprecedented level of openness in Government.'" Rep. Issa also requested that a number of DHS Front Office personnel, including Chief Privacy Officer Mary Ellen Callahan, Chief FOIA Officer Catherine Papoi, and Chief of Staff to the Secretary Noah Kroloff, be made available to the committee for transcribed interviews about DHS's FOIA policy and procedures. After reviewing documents released by DHS indicating the policy resulted in the improper delay of FOIA requests, EPIC filed a letter recommending that the FOIA Ombudsman conduct an investigation of DHS FOIA policies and practices. The DHS policy is contrary to federal law and Supreme Court holdings, as the FOIA does not permit agencies to select requests for political scrutiny. Letter from Rep. Darrell E. Issa (R-CA) to Secretary Janet Napolitano http://politi.co/htMYtV President Barack Obama: Memorandum on Transparency and Open Government http://www.epic.org/redirect/021111TransMEMO.html EPIC: letter to Director Miriam Nisbet, OGIS http://www.epic.org/redirect/021111NisbetLTR.html Office of Government Information Services http://www.archives.gov/ogis/ DHS: FOIA Policy http://www.epic.org/redirect/021111DHS-FOIA.html Freedom of Information Act http://www.archives.gov/ogis/guidance/open-gov.pdf EPIC: Open Government http://epic.org/privacy/litigation/ EPIC: Federal Open Government Laws 2010 http://epic.org/bookstore/foia2010/default.html ======================================================================= [4] EPIC Opposes Secret Evidence in Body Scanner Lawsuit ======================================================================= In EPIC’s case against the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Agency to suspend the use of body scanners in airports across the country, the government has asked the court for permission to file secret evidence. Local procedural rules in the District of Columbia Circuit state that information may only be entered under seal where the information was under seal during the agency's decision making process, and still "need[s] to remain under seal on appeal." In opposition to the request, EPIC argued that these rules presume that both parties will have access to sealed materials. The agency used the term "Sensitive Security Information" to characterize unclassified evidence it nonetheless wishes to hide from public scrutiny. The law granting the agency authority to issue "Sensitive Security Information" directives identifies four potential legal justifications for doing so, none of which the agency cited in its motion. The agency failed to give EPIC any opportunity to challenge individual directives before filing its request. In addition, the government offered a novel justification for filing scientific research under seal, claiming that certain studies were protected under copyright. An appeals court has previously held that federal copyright laws do not protect intellectual property once it is adopted as part of the law. In this case, it is apparent that Congress did not intend the Copyright Act to give scientific researchers the right to prevent full access to the legal justifications for TSA regulations. The agency offered no legal justification for leveraging copyright laws to prevent EPIC from scrutinizing its legal claims. EPIC filed its opposition to the motion on February 10, 2011, requesting that the Court deny the agency's motion, or in the alternative, provide sealed copies of the materials which are available to both parties. Oral argument for the case is scheduled for March 10, 2011. DHS Motion to File Secret Evidence http://epic.org/privacy/body_scanners/DHSMotion01_28_11-1.pdf EPIC Opposition to Motion http://epic.org/privacy/body_scanners/EPIC_SSI_OPP_MOT_final-1.pdf EPIC: EPIC v. DHS (Suspension of Body Scanners) http://www.epic.org/redirect/021111EPICvDHS.html EPIC: Whole Body Imaging Technology http://epic.org/privacy/airtravel/backscatter/ ======================================================================= [5] NJ Supreme Court: Expungement Statute Does Not Cover Private Facts ======================================================================= The New Jersey Supreme Court heard oral arguments on September 14, 2010 in the case of G.D. v. Kenny. The plaintiff in the case, G.D., was an aide to Brian Stack. In 2007, Stack decided to run for the New Jersey Senate. However, the Hudson Country Democratic Organization ("HCDO") supported Stack's opponent in the primary election. After obtaining records of G.D.’s criminal history, HCDO created and distributed 17,000 flyers alleging that G.D. was a "DRUG DEALER who went to JAIL for FIVE YEARS for selling coke near a public school." The flyer also displayed G.D.'s photo. Unknown to the advertising firm, an order of expungement was entered in June 2006 for G.D.'s conviction. The Department of Corrections continued to list information about G.D.'s conviction and sentence as late as August 2008 despite the expungement order. In a claim against HCDO for defamation, the appellate court found that because the information on the flyers was true, it could not support a defamation claim, and dismissed it. On appeal, the Supreme Court of New Jersey held that defendants are entitled to assert truth as a defense, even when the relevant facts are subject to an expungement order under a state statute. The decision is a setback to the notion of “The Right to be Forgotten.” EPIC had filed an “friend of the court” brief in the case, highlighting the increasing risk that private firms will make available inaccurate, incomplete, and outdated information if expungement orders are not enforced. Furthermore, EPIC argued that expungement is a judicial determination that should be respected. The omission of expungement judgments from court records introduces errors into databases sold by states as well as commercial databases sold by data mining companies. These errors can lead to a range of consequences - from inconvenience to the loss of civil liberties. EPIC: G.D. v. Kenny http://epic.org/amicus/gd_v_kenny.html EPIC: Expungement http://epic.org/privacy/expungement/ Press Release: “The Right to be Forgotten” http://www.epic.org/redirect/021111EUforgotten.html Superior Court of N.J. Appellate Division: G.D. v. Kenny http://lawlibrary.rutgers.edu/courts/appellate/a3005-08.opn.html NJ Supreme Court: G.D. v. Kenny http://www.epic.org/redirect/021111NJSCgd.html ======================================================================= [6] News In Brief ======================================================================= NIST Seeks Comments on Guidelines for Cloud Computing The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) has announced that it is accepting comments on two draft documents on cloud computing: the NIST Definition of Cloud Computing and the Guidelines on Security and Privacy in Public Cloud Computing. The documents were prepared after the Federal Chief Information Officer asked NIST to develop standards and guidelines to assist the federal government’s secure adoption of cloud computing. EPIC has warned of the ongoing privacy risks associated with cloud computing since its expansion into the public sphere in 2008. In 2009, EPIC filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, urging an investigation into Google’s cloud computing services to determine the adequacy of privacy and security safeguards. Comments on both NIST documents are due no later than February 28, 2011. National Institute for Standards and Technology http://www.nist.gov/ NIST: Press Release on Cloud Computing http://www.nist.gov/itl/csd/cloud-020111.cfm NIST: Definition of Cloud Computing http://www.epic.org/redirect/021111NISTclddef.html NIST: Guidelines on Security and Privacy in Public Cloud Computing http://www.epic.org/redirect/021111NISTcld-gdlnes.html EPIC: FTC Cloud Computing Complaint (March 17, 2009) http://epic.org/privacy/cloudcomputing/google/ftc031709.pdf EPIC: Cloud Computing http://epic.org/privacy/cloudcomputing/ EPIC: In re Google and Cloud Computing http://epic.org/privacy/cloudcomputing/google/ EPIC Joins Campaign to Promote Transparency in Europe EPIC has supported a global initiative led by Access Info, an international human rights organization, to urge the Committee of Civil Liberties, Justice, and Home Affairs (LIBE) of the European Parliament to safeguard government transparency. Currently, the Committee is considering a proposal to limit open government by hindering access to certain documents. On January 28, 2011, a letter was sent on behalf of Access Info and its supporters to the European Parliament, calling for the alignment of regulations with the pro-transparency decisions of the Court of Justice of the European Union. EPIC has joined 180 organizations, journalists, and activists in its support for Access Info’s campaign. Over 90 countries worldwide have adopted laws, constitutional amendments or regulations protecting the right to freedom of information. Access Info: Transparency in the European Union http://www.access-info.org/en/european-union European Union: LIBE Committee http://www.epic.org/redirect/021111LIBEcomm.html EPIC: Open Government http://epic.org/privacy/litigation/ EPIC: Privacy & Human Rights http://epic.org/phr06/ FBI Handwritten Changes on NSLs to Expand Surveillance, Evade Oversight EPIC used the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to obtain internal reports that FBI Field Offices made unauthorized changes to National Security Letters, absent any internal legal review. The Attorney General's National Security Letter Guidelines explicitly require field offices to clear all National Security Letter requests through the National Security Law Branch of the FBI or the Chief Division Counsel. The changes violated this safeguard and frustrated oversight. National Security Letters (NSLs) are already an extraordinary search procedure, which give the FBI the power to compel the disclosure of customer records held by banks, telephone companies, Internet Service Providers, and others. These entities are prohibited, or "gagged," from telling anyone about their receipt of the NSL, which makes oversight difficult. The incident revealed by EPIC is yet another instance of the FBI's NSL practices failing to abide by constitutional protections and the rule of law. FOIA Request (July 2, 2009) http://epic.org/foia_1/iob/FOIA7200.PDF EPIC FOIA Note #17 (February 7, 2011) http://epic.org/foia_notes/note17.html EPIC: Intelligence Oversight Board: FOIA Documents on Legal Violations http://epic.org/foia/iob/default.html Report of Unauthorized Change to FBI National Security Letter http://epic.org/foia_1/iob_1/HANDWR00.PDF ======================================================================= [7] EPIC Book Review: "State Power and Democracy" ======================================================================= "State Power and Democracy: Before and During the Presidency of George W. Bush," Andrew Kolin http://www.epic.org/redirect/021111SPD.html In "State Power and Democracy," Andrew Kolin argues that the United States government has consistently expanded its efforts, domestically and abroad, to create a state of “surveillance and control.” To support his arguments regarding the expansion of the “police state,” Kolin follows the history of United States government responses to progressive political movements over the last two centuries. Kolin spends several chapters developing an argument that, even before 9/11, the United States government was laying foundations for extensive surveillance and participating in officially-sanctioned violence. To support his claims, Kolin details the history of the labor movement, including the response to workers' rights movements over the last hundred years. He also follows the history of U.S. involvement in toppling communist and socialist-leaning regimes around the world. Kolin openly attacks the CIA, claiming that it "demonstrates a determination to develop torture into an exact science." He tracks the agency's involvement in torture training at the School of the Americas (later renamed "Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation"), which boast such infamous alumni as Robert Viola, Manual Noriega, Juan Valasco, and Guillermo Rodriguez, members of the Grupo Colina death squad, officers in the notorious Battalion 3-16, and Augusto Pinochet's secret police. Kolin avoids the tendency to ascribe civil liberties violations to one political party. Instead, he argues that both Republican and Democratic administrations have participated in oppressive activities over the course of the last two centuries. In particular, Kolin describes the ways in which the Clinton Administration's policy initiatives laid the groundwork for the civil liberties violations that would become routine under George W. Bush’s Administration. "State Power and Democracy" includes references to many important civil liberties issues of the present day, including the PATRIOT Act, Guantanamo Bay, the torture memos, and the broad surveillance of citizens. Kolin ends the book on a reformative note, by detailing potential reforms, and stating "it is with the possible combination of a dysfunctional police state with a hint of reformism and the rising expectations of mass movements that America will finally rid itself of its police state." -- Ginger McCall ================================ EPIC Publications: "Litigation Under the Federal Open Government Laws 2010," edited by Harry A. Hammitt, Marc Rotenberg, John A. Verdi, Ginger McCall, and Mark S. Zaid (EPIC 2010). Price: $75 http://epic.org/bookstore/foia2010/ Litigation Under the Federal Open Government Laws is the most comprehensive, authoritative discussion of the federal open access laws. This updated version includes new material regarding President Obama's 2009 memo on Open Government, Attorney General Holder's March 2009 memo on FOIA Guidance, and the new executive order on declassification. The standard reference work includes in-depth analysis of litigation under: the Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act, the Federal Advisory Committee Act, and the Government in the Sunshine Act. The fully updated 2010 volume is the 25th edition of the manual that lawyers, journalists and researchers have relied on for more than 25 years. ================================ "Information Privacy Law: Cases and Materials, Second Edition" Daniel J. Solove, Marc Rotenberg, and Paul Schwartz. (Aspen 2005). Price: $98. http://www.epic.org/redirect/aspen_ipl_casebook.html This clear, comprehensive introduction to the field of information privacy law allows instructors to enliven their teaching of fundamental concepts by addressing both enduring and emerging controversies. The Second Edition addresses numerous rapidly developing areas of privacy law, including: identity theft, government data mining and electronic surveillance law, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, intelligence sharing, RFID tags, GPS, spyware, web bugs, and more. Information Privacy Law, Second Edition, builds a cohesive foundation for an exciting course in this rapidly evolving area of law. ================================ "Privacy & Human Rights 2006: An International Survey of Privacy Laws and Developments" (EPIC 2007). Price: $75. http://www.epic.org/phr06/ This annual report by EPIC and Privacy International provides an overview of key privacy topics and reviews the state of privacy in over 75 countries around the world. The report outlines legal protections, new challenges, and important issues and events relating to privacy. Privacy & Human Rights 2006 is the most comprehensive report on privacy and data protection ever published. ================================ "The Public Voice WSIS Sourcebook: Perspectives on the World Summit on the Information Society" (EPIC 2004). Price: $40. http://www.epic.org/bookstore/pvsourcebook This resource promotes a dialogue on the issues, the outcomes, and the process of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). This reference guide provides the official UN documents, regional and issue-oriented perspectives, and recommendations and proposals for future action, as well as a useful list of resources and contacts for individuals and organizations that wish to become more involved in the WSIS process. ================================ "The Privacy Law Sourcebook 2004: United States Law, International Law, and Recent Developments," Marc Rotenberg, editor (EPIC 2005). Price: $40. http://www.epic.org/bookstore/pls2004/ The Privacy Law Sourcebook, which has been called the "Physician's Desk Reference" of the privacy world, is the leading resource for students, attorneys, researchers, and journalists interested in pursuing privacy law in the United States and around the world. It includes the full texts of major privacy laws and directives such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Privacy Act, and the OECD Privacy Guidelines, as well as an up-to-date section on recent developments. New materials include the APEC Privacy Framework, the Video Voyeurism Prevention Act, and the CAN-SPAM Act. ================================ "Filters and Freedom 2.0: Free Speech Perspectives on Internet Content Controls" (EPIC 2001). Price: $20. http://www.epic.org/bookstore/filters2.0 A collection of essays, studies, and critiques of Internet content filtering. These papers are instrumental in explaining why filtering threatens free expression. ================================ EPIC publications and other books on privacy, open government, free expression, crypto and governance can be ordered at: EPIC Bookstore http://www.epic.org/bookstore ================================ EPIC also publishes EPIC FOIA Notes, which provides brief summaries of interesting documents obtained from government agencies under the Freedom of Information Act. Subscribe to EPIC FOIA Notes at: http://mailman.epic.org/mailman/listinfo/foia_notes ======================================================================= [8] Upcoming Conferences and Events ======================================================================= "Secondary and Intermediary Liability on the Internet." Stanford Technology Law Review, Stanford Law School, 3 March 2011. For More Information: http://stlr.stanford.edu/symposia/2011-secondary-liability-online/. "Privacy and the Supreme Court." Columbia Law School, New York, New York, 4 March 2011. "The Web: Wiring Our World." UNIS-UN, New York, 4 March 2011. For More Information: http://www.unis-un.org/unisun/. "The Tenth Workshop on Economics of Information Security." The George Mason University, 14-15 June 2011. For More Information: http://weis2011.econinfosec.org/index.html. "Computers, Freedom, and Privacy 2011." Georgetown Law Center, Washington D.C., 14-16 June 2011. For More Information: http://www.cfp2010.org/wiki/index.php/Announcement_of_CFP_2011. ======================================================================= Join EPIC on Facebook ======================================================================= Join the Electronic Privacy Information Center on Facebook http://facebook.com/epicprivacy http://epic.org/facebook Start a discussion on privacy. Let us know your thoughts. Stay up to date with EPIC's events. Support EPIC. ======================================================================= Privacy Policy ======================================================================= The EPIC Alert mailing list is used only to mail the EPIC Alert and to send notices about EPIC activities. We do not sell, rent or share our mailing list. We also intend to challenge any subpoena or other legal process seeking access to our mailing list. We do not enhance (link to other databases) our mailing list or require your actual name. In the event you wish to subscribe or unsubscribe your e-mail address from this list, please follow the above instructions under "subscription information." ======================================================================= About EPIC ======================================================================= The Electronic Privacy Information Center is a public interest research center in Washington, DC. It was established in 1994 to focus public attention on emerging privacy issues such as the Clipper Chip, the Digital Telephony proposal, national ID cards, medical record privacy, and the collection and sale of personal information. EPIC publishes the EPIC Alert, pursues Freedom of Information Act litigation, and conducts policy research. For more information, see http://www.epic.org or write EPIC, 1718 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20009. +1 202 483 1140 (tel), +1 202 483 1248 (fax). ======================================================================= Donate to EPIC ======================================================================= If you'd like to support the work of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, contributions are welcome and fully tax-deductible. Checks should be made out to "EPIC" and sent to 1718 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20009. Or you can contribute online at: http://www.epic.org/donate Your contributions will help support Freedom of Information Act and First Amendment litigation, strong and effective advocacy for the right of privacy and efforts to oppose government regulation of encryption and expanding wiretapping powers. Thank you for your support. ======================================================================= Subscription Information ======================================================================= Subscribe/unsubscribe via web interface: http://mailman.epic.org/mailman/listinfo/epic_news Back issues are available at: http://www.epic.org/alert The EPIC Alert displays best in a fixed-width font, such as Courier. ------------------------- END EPIC Alert 18.03 ------------------------
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