Brian Fung reports: Companies such as Google and Facebook thrive on your personal data — the bits of information that tell advertisers how old you are, what brands you like and how long you lingered on that must-see cat video. Historically, how these companies use this data has been subject to oversight by the Federal…
Category: Govt
Are the Free Wi-Fi Kiosks on New York Streets Safe?
The New York Times recently had a column on the safety risks of using free wifi kiosks in NYC. If you read the column, you may come away with the impression that there are a lot of privacy options, even though the writer acknowledges: Even with all the safeguards in place, it is a good idea to…
A bombshell in the broadband privacy debate
David Balto reports: The unique American right to privacy – the Constitutional right to be “secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects” birthed as a direct response to the British crown’s unfettered “general warrant” rights to search colonial homes is so fundamental today that nary a politician will seek to question it. The same…
FTC Approves Final Order in Practice Fusion Privacy Case
After a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final order resolving the Commission’s complaint against Practice Fusion. In its complaint, the FTC charged that Practice Fusion misled consumers by soliciting reviews for doctors in connection with an online healthcare satisfaction survey, without disclosing adequately that these reviews would be publicly posted on the…