iPhone SDK changes would restrict access to customer personal data collected by third party applications that had been sharing customer data with analytics companies. Apple's privacy policy outlines the purpose for data collection, retention, use, and limitations on sharing to purposes related to the product or services sought by customers. It further states that the company "safeguard[s] your personal information against loss, theft, and misuse, as well as against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction." The Apple statement on the issue suggests that application developers for the Apple iPhone possibly used code from existing application developer programs, which contained third party data sharing instructions.
Jobs: iPhone ad SDK changes for user privacy, not anti-competitive, Daniel Eram Dilger, Apple Insider, June 2, 2010
Senators Schumer (D-NY) and Cornyn (R-TX) introduced the Mobile Device Identification Act that if passed would require all pre-paid phone users to provide an ID as a condition of purchase. The bill targets users of pre-paid cellphones and would require phone companies to keep the information on file, as they are required do now for land line users. Abuse of telephone land line users' call detail information of the past include pretexting, where individuals pretending to be the user gains access to information or the warrantless wiretapping by the National Security Agency raise questions regarding the protection of the data collected. The bill is a reaction to the Time Square attempted car bomb attacker who used a pre-paid cellphone to purchase the car.
New proposal would require identification to buy prepaid cellphones, By Ellen Nakashima, Washington Post, Wednesday, May 26, 2010; 4:00 PM
Unlimited data retention and information sharing policies of social networking service providers are creating privacy problems for users. Attorney's in civil cases are routinely subpoenaing online records of social network users when involved in a case. Increasingly consumers, and policy makers are joining privacy advocates in asking what do social networking services know about their users and with whom are they sharing that information. Facebook has come under pressure for manipulating customer privacy settings from restrictions on sharing to broadly sharing user content. Google's Buzz application without notice or consent converted Gmail users e-mail contacts into a social networking service.
What sites such as Facebook and Google know and whom they tell, By Ariana Eunjung Cha, Washington Post Foreign Service, May 29, 2010
Tomorrow is the day that Facebook will unveil its latest solution for repairing damage it rendered to customer privacy when it added new features that opted users into sharing more information with little to no control or options for not sharing. Facebook claims to be launching a dramatically simply privacy control interface tomorrow. The privacy problems created were not because customers did not set privacy settings, but that Facebook ignored what customers wanted by changing privacy settings without notice to share user content widely.
Facebook to Launch Simpler Privacy Controls Tomorrow, Lix Gannes, GIGAOM.com, May 25, 2010
UC Davis ended a pilot that could have led the university outsourcing student e-mail to the G-mail service over privacy concerns. The letter to the Google formally ending the pilot project specifically expressed that the campus commitment to privacy of communications was not shared by the company.
Exclusive: Gmail Ditched By Major University ', InformationWeek, By Paul McDougall, May 5, 2010
Maturity develops wisdom in young people about limiting what other may see about them. Many recruiters, employers, and others are requesting to join the social networking world of young professionals. Steps are being taken by young people to limit what others may see about them. Long time friends and new social networking contacts may be limited to viewing only certain information. The trend reflects how people conduct themselves in the physical world. Control is the foundation of privacy protection so that over time and under certain circumstances information is voluntarily shared.
Tell-All Generation Learns to Keep Things Offline, New York Times, By LAURA M. HOLSON, May 8, 2010
EPIC filed an FTC complaint on the most recent actions taken by Facebook to compromise user privacy. EPIC also sent a letter to Congress regarding the challenges social networking and cloud computing users are facing in keeping the privacy that companies promise when soliciting new consumers. A glitch discovered by Facebook users last week allowed website to secretly install apps on user pages and another that allowed contacts to secretly view private chats.
Facebook Privacy Complaint: A Complete Breakdown, PC World, by Ian Paul, May 6, 2010
Facebook Privacy Issues Highlighted Again By Security Hole, TimesNews.com, May 9, 2010
New York police made an arrest in relationship to the owner of a vehicle rigged as an explosive device that was parked in Time Square. Police work, when done well, can out perform technology and innovation in many situations related to security. Tens of millions have been spent on video surveillance technology, but its value for law-enforcement for the prevention of terrorism is zero. What has worked is better training and equipping of first responders, and raising awareness among citizens regarding their critical role in preventing successful attacks. Duane Jackson, a street vendor noticing a car parked where it should not have been and alerted a police officer. When they inspected the vehicle they noticed smoke and heard popping sounds. The Police officer immediately closed off the area and sought assistance. The bomb was discovered and neutralized and the investigation beginning with the vehicle led to the arrest.
Times Square, Bombs and Big Crowds By THE EDITORS, May 3, 2010
Bomb Suspect Said to Implicate Himself, By WILLIAM K. RASHBAUM, MARK MAZZETTI and PETER BAKER, May 4, 2010
