UN Expert: Body Scanners Breach of Individual Rights

Martin Scheinin, a UN expert on human rights said that body scanners' use in the war on terror were both ineffective and an intrusion on individual privacy. He went on to say that it would be a violation to everyone, but more so to women, certain religions, and certain cultural backgrounds. He has previously reported on different types of detection technologies could better for human rights.

Airport body scans breach rights: UN expert, Agence France-Presse, March 10, 2010

Facebook Looking to Share Location Data

Facebook is reported to be ready to release a new application that would share location information on its 400 million users. The application will premier in late April 2010 and is called f8. Facebook updated its privacy policy to reflect the location sharing feature. Initial reports are that the location information sharing feature will follow the privacy settings of users.

Facebook Will Allow Users to Share Location, By NICK BILTON, New York Times Blog, March 9, 2010

Privacy Group Advise California PUC on Smart Grid Privacy

In formal comments, EPIC urged the California Public Utility Commission to adopt privacy safeguards for Smart Grid systems to protect consumer electricity usage information from unauthorized collection, use, and disclosure. Smart Grid networks uniquely identify individual electrical appliances, and create new privacy risks. EPIC recommended that policies be established to protect consumer data, including limitations on data collection, new security standards, and independent oversight.

Spouse has Privacy Rights in Home Bathroom

A Mille Lacs County Minnesota District Court sustained the conviction of Richard Allen Perez who admitted secretly videotaping his wife at their home. The couple were in the process of getting a divorce when Perez installed a video camera in the bathroom of their home. Perez was convicted in 2008 and sentenced to jail. The case is expected to be appealed to the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Court: Spouse Should Expect Bathroom Privacy, St. Paul (AP), March 10, 2010

DHS Announces Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign

The Department of Homeland Security has launched a Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign to raise public engagement on the issue. They have announced a competition seeking ideas from industry and individuals on how to best tackle the problem of engaging the general public in understanding the importance of securing digital devices from threats. A public education campaign for a Web 2.0 world seems to the goal. Deadline for submitting ideas is April 30, 2010, submit proposals to cyberchallenge@dhs.gov. If you have questions they should go to challengequestions@dhs.gov

Air Travelers Complaints Contradict TSA Claims Regarding Whole Body Scanners

The Electronic Privacy information Center has obtained documents, from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) under a Freedom of Information Act request, disclosing that passengers were not informed prior to being subjected to whole body scanning. The TSA has claimed that air travelers when given a choice prefer the experience of the digital strip search of whole body scanning machines to medal detectors and the pat down option. The TSA claimed that where the machines were in use passengers were fully informed about the technology before undergoing screening. There are ongoing challenges from consumer rights, privacy, and civil liberties organizations over the use of the controversial devices on persons because of health, privacy, and civil liberties questions yet to be answered by an independent evaluation of the technology.

Travelers file complaints over TSA body scanners, Jaikumar Vijayan, Business Week, March 8, 2010

FTC Fines LifeLock $12 Million for Deceptive ID Theft Prevention Claims

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) fined LifeLock, a prominent ID theft protection company, $12 million for deceiving customers regarding the effectiveness of its service. The FTC fined the company $11 million and an additional $1 million for state cost of investigating the company. The $11 million will go to customers who file reimbursement claims against the settlement. Last year the Consumer Federation of American published a report on identity theft prevention services, which raised questions about their effectiveness.

LifeLock settles false advertising action for $11M, Tampa Bay Business Journal, March 10, 2010