Google and NSA Partnership: Who is Watching Whom?

Recent reports that Google was negotiating an agreement with the National Security Agency (NSA) to understand the recent cyber-attacks against the company's Gmail service raised eyebrows. The Electronic Privacy Information Center filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the NSA seeking information regarding the relationship between the agency and the largest Internet Search Engine, and service provider in the world. Google made public the attack on its servers and their suspicion that the source was the Chinese Government. There have been long-term concerns regarding China and its willingness to use surveillance on U.S. citizens, agencies, and corporations. Google had cooperated with the Chinese government's policy of censorship of information available to people living within that nation.

Google Asks Spy Agency for Help With Inquiry Into Cyberattacks , John Markoff, New York Times, February 4, 2010

Google and NSA Partnership: Who is Watching Whom?

Recent reports that Google was negotiating an agreement with the National Security Agency (NSA) to understand the recent cyber-attacks against the company's Gmail service raised eyebrows. The Electronic Privacy Information Center filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the NSA seeking information regarding the relationship between the agency and the largest Internet Search Engine, and service provider in the world. Google made public the attack on its servers and their suspicion that the source was the Chinese Government. There have been long-term concerns regarding China and its willingness to use surveillance on U.S. citizens, agencies, and corporations. Google had cooperated with the Chinese government's policy of censorship of information available to people living within that nation.

More Money for Body Scanners at Airports

The Department of Homeland Security plans to have 500 "digital strip search" machines in U.S. airports by the end of 2011. The technology allows passengers to be viewed as if they were not wearing clothing. This is the latest attempt to calm public fears about air terrorists attacks. The incident on December 25, 2009, which post-investigations have revealed included failures by federal agencies to communicate what they knew regarding the threat the attempted attacker posed. There are also questions regarding the ability of these devices to identify the substance used in the incident; the privacy protections for passengers; as well as health risks to the general public posed by the screening technology. The manufacturer of the devices is poised to make hundreds of millions on the rush to disrobe air travelers. The European Union has elected to have an independent review of the technology prior to making any decisions to deploy the systems.

Airport-security plan calls for 500 body scanners in '11, Thomas Frank, USA Today, February 2, 2010

International Privacy Day January 28, 2010

January 28 is International Privacy Day, celebrating the day that the first international convention on privacy was signed. The Council of Europe and the European Commission initiated this commemoration in 2007. This year marks its fourth edition, and a wide variety of activities are being held in cities around the world to underscore the importance of privacy protections.

Worldwide Celebration on International Privacy Day, EPIC Alert Volume 17.02

FTC Holds Second in a Series of Roundtables on Online Privacy

On January 28, 2010, at the Berkeley Center for Law and Technology the Federal Trade Commission held its second in a series of three roundtable discussions on online privacy in Berkeley California. The meeting took place on International Privacy Day. Representatives from leading social networking companies where joined by privacy and civil liberty advocacy organizations to discuss the topic of privacy and social networking services.

Facebook, LinkedIn Resist New Privacy Regs, Kenneth Corbin, e-Security Planet

Microsoft Asking Congress to Referee Cloud Computing Privacy

Microsoft in a statement before a Committee asked Congress introduce legislation to address Cloud Computing privacy and security. The focus of the request was on modernization, which when translated could be a range of actions that protect consumers' privacy or diminish them. There is also the issue of the trend toward preemption of state law making and enforcement authority which weaken consumer rights and privacy protection. Steps taken by Data Protection Authorities in Canada and the EU have extended privacy protection to US consumers by requiring business to reform online business practices.
Microsoft Urges Cloud-Computing Privacy Bill, Chloe Albanesius, PC Magazine, January 20, 2010

China and Google Falling Out Over Privacy

Chinese cyber-attackers assault Google network. The company determined that the attacks against it came from within China. The assumption is if the attack came from inside China then the government had something to do with it. There were significant privacy concerns regarding US citizens traveling to China for last Summer Olympics. The tiff is playing out as Google reconciles collaboration with Chinese authorities over content screening of Chinese users at their government's request.

Google, Facebook, Privacy, and China, PC World, Robert X. Cringely, Blog InfoWorld, January 20, 2010