Privacy Groups Defend Privacy of Facebook Users: Files FTC Complaint

EPIC has filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, urging the FTC to open an investigation into Facebook's revised privacy settings. The EPIC complaint, signed by nine other privacy and consumer organizations, states that the "changes violate user expectations, diminish user privacy, and contradict Facebook's own representations." EPIC cites widespread opposition from Facebook users, security experts, bloggers, and news organizations. A previous EPIC complaint to the FTC, concerning the data broker industry, produced the largest settlement in the FTC's history.

Privacy Groups Defend Privacy of Facebook Users: Files FTC Complaint

EPIC has filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, urging the FTC to open an investigation into Facebook's revised privacy settings. The EPIC complaint, signed by nine other privacy and consumer organizations, states that the "changes violate user expectations, diminish user privacy, and contradict Facebook's own representations." EPIC cites widespread opposition from Facebook users, security experts, bloggers, and news organizations. A previous EPIC complaint to the FTC, concerning the data broker industry, produced the largest settlement in the FTC's history.

Privacy Groups Defend Privacy of Facebook Users: Files FTC Complaint

EPIC has filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, urging the FTC to open an investigation into Facebook's revised privacy settings. The EPIC complaint, signed by nine other privacy and consumer organizations, states that the "changes violate user expectations, diminish user privacy, and contradict Facebook's own representations." EPIC cites widespread opposition from Facebook users, security experts, bloggers, and news organizations. A previous EPIC complaint to the FTC, concerning the data broker industry, produced the largest settlement in the FTC's history.

What Does a Turducken Have to Do With Privacy?

The famous holiday feast was referenced in a dissenting opinion by Chief Judge Alex Kozinski of the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. The judge wrote the dissent when the majority of the court ruled against hearing a case regarding employee privacy rights. The case involves 28 scientists and engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who claimed that their privacy was violated by over zealous background checks for persons who are contract employees.

The Turducken Approach to Privacy Law, Adam Liptak, New York Times, December 8, 2009

Plastic Surgery Allows Exploit of Biometric ID System

Now what you are born with may not be as secure as biometric ID systems are purported to be. Lin Rong is accused by Japanese authorities of having her fingerprints surgically altered to enter the country illegally. She is reported to have had surgery to switch the finger tips of her right and left hand. The ruse was discovered by Japanese authorities after she was arrest for an unrelated offense.

'Fake fingerprint' Chinese woman fools Japan controls , BBC, December 7, 2009

Facebook Seeking to Make Changes in Privacy Policy

Facebook is seeking to make changes in privacy setting for users once limited to regional networks and is facing opposition from Facebook users. The company plans to eliminate regional networks, which had effectively limited access to information to only users within the regional network. Facebook proposes that unless regional network users individually change privacy settings of their once regional network accounts their information may be broadly available once regional networks are eliminated.

Facebook Hones Privacy Settings, Scraps Regional Networks, Technology World, December 2, 2009

DOD Dumps Company Suspected of Exploiting Children of Military Familes

The Electronic Privacy Information Center filed an FTC complaint against Echometrix when it learned that the company was in violation of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The law prohibits online companies from collecting and using information on children 13 years of age or younger. Echometrix maker of the FamilySafe parental control software product advertised itself as allowing parents to monitor the online activity of their children. What the company did not disclose was that it to wanted to also monitor the online activity of children for marketing purposes. The Defense Department's Army and Air Force Exchange (AAFES) Web site offered the Echometrix product for sale. EPIC also filed a Freedom of Information Act Request with the DOD seeking information on the arrangement reached between the agency and Echometrix. Shortly after the agency was informed of EPIC's COPPA based complaint to the FTC the AAFES ended its relationship with Echometrix.

Defense Department pulls parental control software over privacy issues, Elinor Mills, CNET.com, December 3, 2009