During President Obama's State of the Union Address this evening the importance of children's digital privacy and cyber security was highlighted. According to The White House Medium account, the President's official prepared address stated,
"No foreign nation, no hacker, should be able to shut down our networks, steal our trade secrets, or invade the privacy of American families, especially our kids. We are making sure our government integrates intelligence to combat cyber threats, just as we have done to combat terrorism. And tonight, I urge this Congress to finally pass the legislation we need to better meet the evolving threat of cyber-attacks, combat identity theft, and protect our children’s information. If we don’t act, we’ll leave our nation and our economy vulnerable. If we do, we can continue to protect the technologies that have unleashed untold opportunities for people around the globe."
Since more of our personal information is being housed in digital cloud based platforms, the President's comments are a welcome development. When the President's State of the Union Address is combined with his recent historic speech at the FTC that discussed the need for stronger student privacy laws, I am optimistic more attention will be paid to these very important issues in the near future.
Copyright 2015 by Shear Law, LLC All rights reserved.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Monday, January 19, 2015
Will the FTC Investigate Turn and Verizon Wireless For Privacy Killing Zombie Cookies?
A very troubling recent ProPublica investigation found that Turn, an online advertising company is "using tracking cookies [i.e. "Zombie Cookies"] that come
back to life after Verizon [Wireless] users have deleted them." These revelations are very troubling and demonstrate why stronger privacy laws are needed and why state and federal regulators need to investigate and take action against those companies that abuse their access to our personal information.
According to ProPublica, "Some users try to block such tracking by turning off or deleting cookies. But Turn says that when users clear their cookies, it does not consider that a signal that users want to opt out from being tracked....Turn executives said the only way users can opt out is to install a Turn opt-out cookie on their machine. That cookie is not designed to prevent Turn from collecting data about a user - only to prevent Turn from showing targeted ads to that user. ProPublica's tests showed that even Verizon users who installed the Turn opt-out cookie continued to receive the Turn tracking cookie as well. Turn said despite the appearance of the tracking cookie, it continues to honor the opt-out cookie. Initially, Turn officials also told ProPublica that its zombie cookie had a benefit for users: They said they were using the Verizon number to keep track of people who installed the Turn opt-out cookie, so that if they mistakenly deleted it, Turn could continue to honor their decisions to opt out. But when ProPublica tested that claim on the industry's opt-out system, we found that it did not show Verizon users as opted out. Turn subsequently contacted us to say it had fixed what it said was a glitch, but our tests did not show it had been fixed."
Within a couple of days of ProPublica's excellent investigation, Turn announced that it "would stop using tracking cookies [i.e. Zombie Cookies] that are impossible to delete." While this is a welcome development there are many questions left unanswered. For example:
How long was Turn using Zombie Cookies?
What information was Turn's Zombie Cookies collecting and how was it being utilized?
Will Turn permanently delete all the data its Zombie Cookies collected?
How can we verify that the Zombie Cookie program has been terminated?
How can Turn be trusted not to create similar programs that are as troubling as the Zombie Cookie?
Zombie and Super Cookies are not only a threat to our personal privacy, they are also a threat to our personal safety and may lead to hidden discrimination against people based upon their race, religion, sexual orientation, age, health, etc...
Last week, during President Obama's history making privacy speech at the FTC he stated, "[i]f we are going to be connected we need to be protected." Will Turn and its advertising clients change its practices and heed the President's call to better protect our privacy?
Copyright 2015 by Shear Law, LLC All rights reserved.
According to ProPublica, "Some users try to block such tracking by turning off or deleting cookies. But Turn says that when users clear their cookies, it does not consider that a signal that users want to opt out from being tracked....Turn executives said the only way users can opt out is to install a Turn opt-out cookie on their machine. That cookie is not designed to prevent Turn from collecting data about a user - only to prevent Turn from showing targeted ads to that user. ProPublica's tests showed that even Verizon users who installed the Turn opt-out cookie continued to receive the Turn tracking cookie as well. Turn said despite the appearance of the tracking cookie, it continues to honor the opt-out cookie. Initially, Turn officials also told ProPublica that its zombie cookie had a benefit for users: They said they were using the Verizon number to keep track of people who installed the Turn opt-out cookie, so that if they mistakenly deleted it, Turn could continue to honor their decisions to opt out. But when ProPublica tested that claim on the industry's opt-out system, we found that it did not show Verizon users as opted out. Turn subsequently contacted us to say it had fixed what it said was a glitch, but our tests did not show it had been fixed."
Within a couple of days of ProPublica's excellent investigation, Turn announced that it "would stop using tracking cookies [i.e. Zombie Cookies] that are impossible to delete." While this is a welcome development there are many questions left unanswered. For example:
How long was Turn using Zombie Cookies?
What information was Turn's Zombie Cookies collecting and how was it being utilized?
Will Turn permanently delete all the data its Zombie Cookies collected?
How can we verify that the Zombie Cookie program has been terminated?
How can Turn be trusted not to create similar programs that are as troubling as the Zombie Cookie?
Zombie and Super Cookies are not only a threat to our personal privacy, they are also a threat to our personal safety and may lead to hidden discrimination against people based upon their race, religion, sexual orientation, age, health, etc...
Last week, during President Obama's history making privacy speech at the FTC he stated, "[i]f we are going to be connected we need to be protected." Will Turn and its advertising clients change its practices and heed the President's call to better protect our privacy?
Copyright 2015 by Shear Law, LLC All rights reserved.
Monday, January 12, 2015
President Obama Proposes The Student Digital Privacy Act
In a very positive development, President Obama earlier today proposed The Student Digital Privacy Act. According to The New York Times, the Act would "prohibit technology firms from profiting from information
collected in schools as teachers adopt tablets, online services and
Internet-connected software".
During the President's speech today at the FTC, he stated, "Our children are meeting and growing up in cyberspace", and "here at the FTC, you’ve pushed back on companies and apps that collect information on our kids without permission"... and "we need our kids privacy protected."
The President's speech appears to indicate that he is aware that Google and others have abused access to personal student data. For example, in March of 2013, Google admitted to Education Week that it was data mining student emails for advertising purposes. Soon after this was uncovered, a media firestorm erupted and subsequently Google allegedly changed its practices. Therefore, when the President mentioned, "[b]ut we’ve already seen some instances where some companies use educational technologies to collect student data for commercial purposes, like targeted advertising" was he referring to Google?
President Obama stated, "I want to encourage every company that provides these technologies to our schools to join this effort. It’s the right thing to do. And if you don’t join this effort, then we intend to make sure that those schools and those parents know you haven’t joined this effort. So, this mission, protecting our information and privacy in the Information Age, this should not be a partisan issue. This should be something that unites all of us as Americans."
I applaud the President and his team for recognizing the importance of student digital privacy and his willingness to make the issue an important part of his legislative agenda during his final two years in office. As a parent, I want my children to be able to utilize the most advanced digital learning tools available. However, our kids should not have to compromise their personal privacy and/or safety to utilize new digital technologies.
While I am optimistic about the opportunity for stronger student privacy protections to become law, I know there is a lot of work ahead. Therefore, it is imperative for students, parents, teachers, school administrators, privacy advocates, and education technology vendors to work with regulators, lawmakers, and the President to enact a thoughtful and forward thinking bill into law.
Copyright 2015 by Shear Law, LLC All rights reserved.
During the President's speech today at the FTC, he stated, "Our children are meeting and growing up in cyberspace", and "here at the FTC, you’ve pushed back on companies and apps that collect information on our kids without permission"... and "we need our kids privacy protected."
The President's speech appears to indicate that he is aware that Google and others have abused access to personal student data. For example, in March of 2013, Google admitted to Education Week that it was data mining student emails for advertising purposes. Soon after this was uncovered, a media firestorm erupted and subsequently Google allegedly changed its practices. Therefore, when the President mentioned, "[b]ut we’ve already seen some instances where some companies use educational technologies to collect student data for commercial purposes, like targeted advertising" was he referring to Google?
President Obama stated, "I want to encourage every company that provides these technologies to our schools to join this effort. It’s the right thing to do. And if you don’t join this effort, then we intend to make sure that those schools and those parents know you haven’t joined this effort. So, this mission, protecting our information and privacy in the Information Age, this should not be a partisan issue. This should be something that unites all of us as Americans."
I applaud the President and his team for recognizing the importance of student digital privacy and his willingness to make the issue an important part of his legislative agenda during his final two years in office. As a parent, I want my children to be able to utilize the most advanced digital learning tools available. However, our kids should not have to compromise their personal privacy and/or safety to utilize new digital technologies.
While I am optimistic about the opportunity for stronger student privacy protections to become law, I know there is a lot of work ahead. Therefore, it is imperative for students, parents, teachers, school administrators, privacy advocates, and education technology vendors to work with regulators, lawmakers, and the President to enact a thoughtful and forward thinking bill into law.
Copyright 2015 by Shear Law, LLC All rights reserved.
Sunday, January 11, 2015
French Police Told To Erase Social Media Profiles
According to CNN, "French law enforcement officers have been told to erase their social media presence and to carry their weapons at all times because terror sleeper cells have been activated over the last 24 hours in the country". The Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack and subsequent terrorist attacks on civilian targets in France have led the police to rethink cyber safety and security in the country.
The order to erase social media profiles in France is not unique. Last November, UK police officers were told not to discuss their jobs on social media. In 2009, the Pentagon mulled banning soldiers using social media and in 2011 China banned its soldiers from using social media.
I believe it is time for the U.S. military, federal and state government agencies, and law enforcement officials re-evaluate their social media policies. Privacy is not just cool but a necessity for personal safety and national security.
Too many self-described social media experts/consultants/ninjas/gurus/etc....are telling people how important it is to create detailed public LinkedIn profiles, share your most personal information on Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Twitter, etc... Some of the phrases these "experts" utilize when providing their advice include, "social media is about a conversation", "be authentic", "sharing is caring", etc... Don't trust any social media consultant who shares too much personal information online and/or uses Twitter or other digital platforms to have regular public conversations.
It is time for Internet users to re-evaluate their relationship with social media and digital platforms that are not created with a privacy first mentality. Privacy is hip and in because sharing too much may destroy your reputation, get you fired, or get you killed. Therefore, you need to ask yourself if its time to limit or erase any of your social media profiles.
Copyright 2015 by Shear Law, LLC All rights reserved.
The order to erase social media profiles in France is not unique. Last November, UK police officers were told not to discuss their jobs on social media. In 2009, the Pentagon mulled banning soldiers using social media and in 2011 China banned its soldiers from using social media.
I believe it is time for the U.S. military, federal and state government agencies, and law enforcement officials re-evaluate their social media policies. Privacy is not just cool but a necessity for personal safety and national security.
Too many self-described social media experts/consultants/ninjas/gurus/etc....are telling people how important it is to create detailed public LinkedIn profiles, share your most personal information on Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Twitter, etc... Some of the phrases these "experts" utilize when providing their advice include, "social media is about a conversation", "be authentic", "sharing is caring", etc... Don't trust any social media consultant who shares too much personal information online and/or uses Twitter or other digital platforms to have regular public conversations.
It is time for Internet users to re-evaluate their relationship with social media and digital platforms that are not created with a privacy first mentality. Privacy is hip and in because sharing too much may destroy your reputation, get you fired, or get you killed. Therefore, you need to ask yourself if its time to limit or erase any of your social media profiles.
Copyright 2015 by Shear Law, LLC All rights reserved.
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Do You Really Want to Destroy Your Privacy By Using A Social Login?
In general, when signing into a website to check your personal account, you need to use a unique user name/password. However, for years other sign in options have included to sign in with your Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, etc... account. This other option is called a social login.
According to VentureBeat, Google is catching up to Facebook in market share regarding social logins. Facebook has 43% of the market while Google has 40%. Social logins have proliferated because companies want to track you for monetization purposes.
I don't use social logins and I don't recommend anyone who values their privacy to utilize social logins. Facebook and Google are advertising companies that sell your personal data points for profit. Facebook is selling your personal information to data brokers and Google has paid tens of millions of dollars in fines for intentionally misleading users about its privacy practices.
There is no reason to sign into non-Facebook/non-Google websites with a Facebook or Google social login. These companies may send your personal information to data brokers, insurance companies, the police, employers, etc...
Will 2015 be the year that users wise up and avoid social logins?
Copyright 2015 by Shear Law, LLC All rights reserved.
According to VentureBeat, Google is catching up to Facebook in market share regarding social logins. Facebook has 43% of the market while Google has 40%. Social logins have proliferated because companies want to track you for monetization purposes.
I don't use social logins and I don't recommend anyone who values their privacy to utilize social logins. Facebook and Google are advertising companies that sell your personal data points for profit. Facebook is selling your personal information to data brokers and Google has paid tens of millions of dollars in fines for intentionally misleading users about its privacy practices.
There is no reason to sign into non-Facebook/non-Google websites with a Facebook or Google social login. These companies may send your personal information to data brokers, insurance companies, the police, employers, etc...
Will 2015 be the year that users wise up and avoid social logins?
Copyright 2015 by Shear Law, LLC All rights reserved.
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