A new bill would extend privacy protection to e-mail for California workers. The legislation should it become law would require that employers notify employees about e-mail monitoring activity inside or outside of the workplace. The trend of employers providing home computers and Internet access has raised the issue of privacy at home as well as in the workplace. One study estimates that 43% of large companies employee staff to read e-mail.
The six federal government agencies sided with three bank associations in their attempt to repeal the State of California's privacy law that recently went into effect. The Office of Thrift Supervision, Comptroller of the Currency, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, National Credit Union Administration and the Federal Trade Commission filed friend of the court briefs in support of the American Bankers Association, the Financial Services Roundtable and the Consumer Bankers Association challenge to the new state law. The California privacy law requires that banks get customer approval before sharing information on their bank balances or spending habits with non-affiliated institutions.
Privacy Policy Advice to Companies: Build a Data Map
How should privacy professionals employed by private companies keep up with how well their employers are complying with stated privacy policy? The answer according to one privacy lawyer is to build a data map. The data map would track what information comes into the company's computers and for what reason and monitor who has access to that information. It is believed that without that knowledge it is impossible for a company to know if it is in compliance with its own privacy policy.
Small Town America Joining Opposition to the Patriot Act
Tumwater, Washington City Council on July 20 joined the growing list of communities that have voted to oppose enforcement of the U.S. Patriot Act. The Council also voted to direct city employees to not support actions that would be in violation of the Constitution. Those on both extremes of the political spectrum voiced support for the City Council’s actions. The city has a population of 13,000 residents.
The Federal Communications Commission tentatively ruled that Internet phone service providers must make their equipment accessible for federal law enforcement wiretaps. By a unanimous vote the five member FCC directed that voice over Internet protocols or VoIP is subject to the 1994 Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act, which created rules that allow law enforcement to keep pace with changes in telecommunication technology. The Internet is not primarily a voice communication technology. Leaving many privacy experts are ask where will the line be drawn and by whom?
After several embarrassing leaks of personal information about the accuser in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case the judge presiding over the case apologized. The accusers parents were present in the courtroom to hear the judge’s apology for the leaks of information, including the name, address and details about her sex life of the accuser to the media. The judge characterized the three leaks as clerical errors that allowed the sensitive information to become public.
A careful review of the 9/11 Commission Recommendations reveals that everything from new federal standards for state issued driver licenses to sophisticated bomb detection screening devices in airports would challenge the privacy rights of individuals living in the United States. It has been reported that President Bush will adopt some measures recommended by the Commission by Executive Order, thereby bypassing the regular legislative process of Congressional review.
W. Stephen Thayer is the current deputy chief of the Transportation Security Administration's Office of National Risk Assessment, which is responsible for the oversight of the Computer-Assisted Passenger Prescreening System (CAPPS II) program. Because of the controversy surrounding CAPPS II and its recent scrapping because of privacy concerns by the Homeland Security Department some question the wisdom of selecting such a controversial person to manage the project in the first place. Thayer resigned his state bench four years ago to avoid prosecution for conduct while on the New Hampshire Supreme Court.
A bipartisan bill introduced by two Republicans and two Democrats would establish e-mail privacy rules that would place restrictions on the accessing or storage of private e-mail messages by third parties. It would go a long way in establishing e-mail privacy protections that are similar to some of the restrictions on third party access to residential and commercial mail deliveries. The bill was reported as an attempt to address the federal court decision in the Councilman case, which found that e-mail was not protected under the Wiretap Act.
