David Kravets reports: The question of whether Google is liable for damages for secretly intercepting data on open WiFi routers across the United States is boiling down to the definition of a “radio communication.” That appears to be the legal theory embraced by the Silicon Valley federal judge presiding over nearly a dozen combined lawsuits…
Category: Business
Pandora Responds to Claims That Its Online Service Violates User Privacy
Scott Steinberg reports: As discussed in an earlier post, security firm Veracode alleges that online streaming music service provider Pandora has been secretly sharing users’ information, including age, gender and location, with digital advertising firms. In response to these accusations, the popular Internet radio service is removing third-party advertising platforms, including Google, AdMeld and Medialets….
Facebook looks to cash in on user data
Jessica Guynn reports: … Now the Palo Alto company is looking to cash in on this mother lode of personal information by helping advertisers pinpoint exactly whom they want to reach. This is no idle boast. Facebook doesn’t have to guess who its users are or what they like. Facebook knows, because members volunteer this…
Privacy expert seeks judicial review to overturn BT-Phorm decision
Dinah Greek reports: Alex Hanff of Privacy International has begun legal steps to instigate a judicial review into the Crown Prosecution Service’s (CPS) decision not to prosecute BT for covert use of Phorm’s Webwise software. The secret trials of the behavioural monitoring software run by BT in 2006 and 2007, breached the Regulation of Investigatory Powers…