Daily updates on privacy stories in the news.

Action Archive

"ENO to ENUM! We are not numbers!"

Learn more about ENUM, a system that has the potential to become a global unique identifier.
Read about the ENUM working group.
More information on ENUM is available at ENUMWorld.
You can make comments on ENUM to Patrik Faltstrom (paf@cisco.com) or Richard Shockey (rshockey@ix.netcom.com).

Support the Privacy Coalition's Privacy Pledge

The Privacy Coalition, a nonpartisan coalition of consumer, civil liberties, educational, library, labor, and family-based groups unveiled the Privacy Pledge last week. The Pledge calls upon legislators to promulgate laws that effectively protection personal privacy.
The Privacy Pledge.

Promote the Privacy of Domain Name Registrants

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is conducting a survey on the Whois database. The Whois database contains contact information of all persons who have registered domain names. In its current form, the database prevents the anonymous registration of domain names and it exposes registrants' personal information to the public where it is often either sold or "mined" for commercial purposes.

Tell ICANN to limit the amount of information required by the Whois database and to promote the ability to register a domain name anonymously!
ICANN Whois Survey.
EPIC Letter on Privacy of Domain Name Registration Data.

Oppose the Official Secrets Act

Language has been inserted in an Intelligence spending bill that would criminalize leaks of "classified" information by government employees. This "Official Secrets Act" (OSA) will not improve national security. Instead, the criminalization of leaks will shield misconduct from public light and restrict public debate. EPIC has signed on to a letter to Senator Bob Graham requesting that the language be removed.
Read more about the OSA at the OMB Watch Website.
Read the letter that EPIC joined to Senator Bob Graham in opposition to the OSA.
Send a fax to the Senate via ACLU's Action Alert.

Official Secrets Act Update

The Official Secrets Act (OSA), statutory language that proscribes the leaking of classified information, will not be included in a intelligence authorization bill. The Bush administration indicated that it would not support the provision.
Bid to Crack Down On Leaks Is Put Off, Washington Post, September 5, 2001.

Support Student Privacy

The Student Privacy Protection Act has passed the Senate as an amendment to an education bill. However, the House version of the same education bill does not include language to protect student privacy.
Read the Commercial Alert web page on the Student Privacy Protection Act.
E-mail Senator Ted Kennedy and ask him to keep privacy protection in the education bill.

Defend Your Freedoms

Endorse the ten-point statement that has been joined by over 150 advocacy organizations. The Statement is online at the In Defense of Freedom Website.

Click here to endorse the statement.

Oppose National ID

National ID systems historically have been used by repressive governments to track citizens. For instance, the South African Government used national identification to enforce apartheid. Now, proposals in the US House and Senate would impose national ID systems on all non-citizens. Soon enough, those national ID systems will be expanded to citizens.

Read more about National ID at the EPIC Identity Cards Page and at Privacy International's National ID Cards Page.

Read legislative proposals for national ID systems, including Senator Feinstein's (D-CA) S.1627 Visa Entry Reform Act of 2001, Senator Kennedy's (D-MA) S.1618 Enhanced Border Security Act of 2001, and Representative Green's (R-TX) H.R.3052 Visa Information Security Act of 2001.

Opt-Out of CPNI Sharing

Qwest, a telecommunications provider, plans to share its subscribers' CPNI unless individuals opt-out of the information-sharing program. CPNI includes a subscriber's name, address, services purchased, and records of calls made and received. Qwest customers should opt-out of this information sharing and tell Qwest to adopt privacy-protective policies, such as an opt-in approach to CPNI sharing.

Individuals can also send comments to the Federal Communications Commission urging the agency to maintain opt-in protections for CPNI.

Submit FTC Telemarketing Comments

The Federal Trade Commission is soliciting your comments on changes to the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR). The TSR governs how many telemarketers may make calls to your home. This is your opportunity to tell the FTC how to limit telemarketing calls and to increase your privacy!

It is important that members of the public comment. You can do so until March 29, 2002.

Visit the EPIC telemarketing page to learn more about telemarketing and how to comment.

Oppose EU Data Retention

EPIC and 40 civil liberties organizations from 15 countries have written to the European Parliament urging the body to reject data retention of communications by law enforcement authorities. Data retention will have serious consequences on the manner in which law enforcement can gain access to personal information in the United States and other countries around the world. Sign on to the letter by May 28, 2002.
Open Letter to European Parliament.
EPIC's new Data Retention page.
Endorse the letter.

Submit Your Views on DC Electronic Surveillance

The District of Columbia is accepting public comments on the video surveillance regulations until June 27, 2002. You should act now to express your views on this matter.

Send comments by visiting the EPIC Video Surveillance Comment Page.