It's hard to tell how far-reaching the current social-Web privacy flap will be, but Facebook is certainly working on damage control. In a commentary in today's Washington Post, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said FB has is responding to calls for simpler privacy controls: "In the coming weeks, we will add privacy controls that are much simpler to use. We will also give you an easy way to … [Read more...] about Facebook privacy flap: Some upsides
Privacy
Differing views on COPPA
While the Federal Trade Commission is taking a fresh look at the Children's Privacy Protection Act of 1998, the Senate Commerce Committee is taking a look of its own – in the form of a hearing today on children's privacy and new technologies called by the Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance Subcommittee. Two witnesses at the hearing – American University professor Kathryn Montgomery … [Read more...] about Differing views on COPPA
New international layer of privacy cooperation, enforcement?
Last week privacy commissioners in 10 countries released a public letter to Google about their problems with the release of Buzz (Google has made significant changes to Buzz in the privacy area since its release). In a commentary in the Toronto Star, University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist wrote that "the joint effort may represent a major step toward the globalization of privacy … [Read more...] about New international layer of privacy cooperation, enforcement?
Social Web privacy: A new kind of social contract we’re all signed onto
1993: In a famous New Yorker cartoon, a dog at a computer says to his canine buddy looking up from the floor, "On the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog." Fast-forward 13 years.... 2006: "On the Internet, EVERYBODY knows you're a dog," declares the subhead to a Michael Kinsley essay in which he wondered at how narcissistic the social Web was (before that became a cliché). Fast-forward only … [Read more...] about Social Web privacy: A new kind of social contract we’re all signed onto
Major buzz about Buzz, but not about its safety
Google's Buzz, which it unveiled today, means to make Gmail much more social – adding updates and photo- and video-sharing; turning emailers into Twitter-like "followers"; and making all of that local to you (and you to it) via your cellphone, according to hundreds of news articles including PCWorld's. That last bit concerning geolocation raises some safety concerns, writes ConnectSafely.org … [Read more...] about Major buzz about Buzz, but not about its safety