Tom Brewster reports: Facebook is lobbying hard to influence European Commission policy makers on recent proposals to shake up data privacy laws across member states, TechWeekEurope understands. Earlier this year, the EC outlined its plans for new data protection rules, laying out a regulation and a directive. They both contained controversial proposals, including the ability for regulators to fine…
Category: Business
Lawmakers Release Information About How Data Brokers Handle Consumers’ Personal Information
From Rep. Ed Markey: A bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Reps. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Joe Barton (R-Texas), co-Chairmen of the Congressional Bi-Partisan Privacy Caucus, today released responses to letters sent to nine major data brokerage companies querying each about how it collects, assembles and sells consumer information to third parties. The companies –Acxiom,…
Skype hands 16-year-old’s personal information to IT company
From nu.nl: Skype illegally distributed a user’s personal information to a private company during a police investigation into Anonymous-sanctioned cyberattacks on PayPal. It and several other payment companies were attacked out of retribution for blocking donations to Wikileaks in 2011. Skype handed over the personal information of a 16-year-old to an IT firm, which later…
A Trail of Clicks, Culminating in Conflict
Natasha Singer reports: Washington is pushing Silicon Valley on children’s privacy, and Silicon Valley is pushing back. Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter have all objected to portions of a federal effort to strengthen online privacy protections for children. In addition, media giants like Viacom and Disney, cable operators, marketing associations, technology groups and a…