Many internet service providers (ISPs) collect and share far more data about their customers than many consumers may expect—including access to all of their Internet traffic and real-time location data—while failing to offer consumers meaningful choices about how this data can be used, according to an FTC staff report on ISPs’ data collection and use practices. The…
Category: U.S.
Senate Dials Back Plan to Force SSN Collection by Payment Services, As EPIC Urged
From EPIC.org: The Senate Finance Committee has significantly scaled back a proposal in the pending budget reconciliation bill to expand the mandatory reporting regime for private financial information in the United States, a move that EPIC and peer organizations called for last month. The original proposal would have required peer-to-peer apps and services to provide the IRS with Tax…
EFF Files New Lawsuit Against California Sheriff for Sharing ALPR Data with ICE and CBP
Saira Hussain and Adam Schwartz write: The Marin County Sheriff illegally shares the sensitive location information of millions of drivers with out-of-state and federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The Sheriff uses automated license plate readers (ALPRs)—high-speed cameras mounted on street poles or squad cars—to scan license plates and…
Many US Adults Worry About Facial Image Data in Healthcare Settings
Majority (55.5 percent) were equally worried about the privacy of medical records, DNA data, and facial images collected for precision health research Uses of facial images and facial recognition technologies – to unlock a phone or in airport security – are becoming increasingly common in everyday life. But how do people feel about using such data in healthcare and biomedical research? Through surveying over 4,000 US adults, researchers…