--------------------------------------------------------------- EPIC DIGEST AT PRIVACY.ORG EPIC-DIGEST is a weekly update of news, information, and action items posted on privacy.org. February 13-20, 2001 TOC------------------------------------------------------------ Reps Introduce Privacy Commission Study Act Census Examining 'Re-identification' Bank of America Allegedly Sold Consumers' Credit Reports Advice on Protecting Online Privacy Consumer Reports: Filters Remain Ineffective Dutch ISPs, Privacy Advocates Object to Interception Requirement Representatives Introduce Spam Bill Senator Introduces SSN Privacy Bill VeriSign Selling DNS Records, EPIC Urges Congressional Action AOL Time Warner Considers Merging of Customer Info Credit Card Fraud in EU Rises 50% Harvard Professor Announces Development of Unbreakable Code ACTION Support the Privacy Coalition's Privacy Pledge NEWS----------------------------------------------------------- Reps Introduce Privacy Commission Study Act Representatives Hutchinson (R-AR) and Moran (D-VA) have reintroduced the Privacy Commission Act. The bill would create a commission to study a wide range of privacy issues. Reps. Asa Hutchinson, Jim Moran Introduce Privacy Commission Act, Rep. Hutchinson Web Site, February 13, 2001. http://wwwa.house.gov/hutchinson/press/pr021301.htm Privacy Commission Act, Rep. Hutchinson Web Site. http://wwwa.house.gov/hutchinson/adobe/privacy%20commission.PDF Bills Introduced, Tech Law Journal Daily Report, February 14, 2001. http://www.techlawjournal.com/alert/2001/02/14.asp --------------------------------------------------------------- Census Examining 'Re-identification' Marketers and data aggregators may be attempting to link individuals with their anonymously-submitted census forms. The U.S. Census Bureau is employing a number of techniques to combat re-identification. "Data-swapping," for instance, is the practice of switching data points on one citizen with another citizen's data. Census bureau blurs data to keep names confidential, MSNBC.com (WSJ), February 14, 2001. http://www.msnbc.com/news/530646.asp?cp1=1 --------------------------------------------------------------- Bank of America Allegedly Sold Consumers' Credit Reports A suit has been brought against Bank of America for allegedly selling thousands of consumers' credit reports to unaffiliated third parties. Suit Says Bank Of America Violates Financial Privacy Update, Newsbytes, February 14, 2001. http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/161991.html --------------------------------------------------------------- Advice on Protecting Online Privacy The Christian Science Monitor published an article today detailing techniques to protect online privacy. Some practical advice on protecting your identity online, Christian Science Monitor, February 15, 2001. http://www.csmonitor.com/durable/2001/02/15/fp18s1-csm.shtml --------------------------------------------------------------- Consumer Reports: Filters Remain Ineffective A recent study by Consumer Reports magazine found that Internet content filters fail to block 1 in 5 sites deemed objectionable. The magazine editors report that the effectiveness of filters has not improved since the magazine last tested the programs four years ago. Digital chaperones for kids, Consumer Reports Magazine, March 2001. http://www.consumerreports.org/Special/ConsumerInterest/Reports/0103fil0.html Web filters far from perfect, Consumer Reports says, Nandotimes (AP), February 15, 2001. http://www.nandotimes.com/technology/story/0,1643,500310093- 500498435-503504706-0,00.html --------------------------------------------------------------- Dutch ISPs, Privacy Advocates Object to Interception Requirement Dutch Internet Service Providers warn that compliance with government mandates on communication interception standards may cause widespread bankruptcies. Privacy advocates also objected to the interception obligations, showing that technology that facilitates interception leads to increased government intrusions. Interception Requirements Get Dutch Internet Providers Into Trouble, Heise, February 15, 2001. http://www.heise.de/bin/tp/issue/dl-artikel.cgi?artikelnr=4932& rub_ordner=inhalt&mode=html --------------------------------------------------------------- Representatives Introduce Spam Bill Representatives Wilson (R-NM) and Green (D-TX) have introduced the Unsolicited Commercial E-Mail Act of 2001. The bill prohibits sending unsolicited commercial e-mail that contains certain misrepresentations. H.R. 717, the Unsolicited Commercial E-Mail Act of 2001, THOMAS Database. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:h.r.00718: --------------------------------------------------------------- Senator Introduces SSN Privacy Bill Senator Shelby (R-AL) introduced S. 324, the Social Security Privacy Act. The bill would prohibit the sale and purchase of social security numbers and amend the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Services Modernization Act to promote privacy. S. 324, the Social Security Privacy Act, THOMAS Database. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:s.00324: Shelby Introduces Social Security Number Privacy Protection Legislation, Press Release, Senator Shelby Web Site, February 14, 2001. http://www.senate.gov/~shelby/press/prsrs399.htm US Senator seeks to boost bank bill privacy, ZDNET (Reuters), February 15, 2001. http://www.zdii.com/industry_list.asp?mode=news&doc_id=RTB15a0931reuff Privacy Bill, Tech Law Journal Daily E-mail Alert, February 16, 2001. http://www.techlawjournal.com/alert/2001/02/16.asp --------------------------------------------------------------- VeriSign Selling DNS Records, EPIC Urges Congressional Action VeriSign, the parent company of Network Solutions, has been selling customer data from DNS records for over a year. This information includes the names and addresses of individuals who have registered domain names. EPIC has urged Congress to hold hearings on the issue. EPIC Letter, EPIC Web Site. http://www.epic.org/privacy/internet/ICANN_privacy.html Domain database sale--marketers delight, privacy nightmare?, ZDNET (WSJ), February 16, 2001. http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2686947,00.html VeriSign Has Been Selling Customer Data For A Year, Newsbytes, February 16, 2001. http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/162130.html Privacy, Tech Law Journal Daily E-Mail Alert, February 20, 2001. http://www.techlawjournal.com/alert/2001/02/20.asp --------------------------------------------------------------- AOL Time Warner Considers Merging of Customer Info AOL Time Warner may merge databases collected from Internet and cable subscription services. The customer information involved includes magazine subscriptions, web sites visited, channels ordered via cable, and programs watched on television. AOL Time Warner in privacy dilemma: Mining its huge database may irk Net subscribers, Mercury Center (LA Times), February 19, 2001. http://www0.mercurycenter.com/svtech/news/breaking/merc/docs/000250.htm --------------------------------------------------------------- Credit Card Fraud in EU Rises 50% Credit card fraud increased by 50% last year in the European Union. While Internet transactions represent 2% of transactions in the EU, Internet transactions constituted 50% of all customer complaints. EU-Wide credit card fraud soared 50 percent in 2000, Mercury Center (Reuters), February 19, 2001. http://www0.mercurycenter.com/svtech/news/breaking/internet/docs/ 867542l.htm --------------------------------------------------------------- Harvard Professor Announces Development of Unbreakable Code Dr. Michael Rabin and Yan Zong Bing have developed a cryptography system that erases the encryption key as it is used. The developers claim that the system is unbreakable. The Key Vanishes: Scientist Outlines Unbreakable Code, New York Times, February 20, 2001 http://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/20/science/20CODE.html? ACTION--------------------------------------------------------- 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 http://www.privacypledge.org/ --------------------------------------------------------------- Privacy.org is a joint project of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (http://www.epic.org) and Privacy International (http://www.privacyinternational.org). 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