Digital Privacy

Both the EU and FTC will have to address real-time buying and selling of users and their data.  We have helped place this issue on the policy radar screen both in Brussels and DC.  But we are stepping up our efforts, and intend to make sure real-time sales of users becomes a key privacy issue.  AppNexus, a leading real-time provider and data company Brilig just made this announcement, which is emblematic of the problems.  Excerpt:

Today we filed Comments on the Obama Administration's privacy plan via the Dep't of Commerce proceeding. Highlights below.
 

excerpt from Microsoft Advertising and Solution Overview (our emphasis).
 

The folks at Google need to do some soul-searching--and fast.  With the EU and others gathering evidence on the failure of Google to candidly inform users of the real reasons for its new privacy policy, the company really risks suffering from serious reputational harm.  There's no reason why Google can't admit to its users that the name of the game on online data

This letter was sent today to US and EU policymakers.

Our chapter in a new edited volume called European Data Protection: In Good Health? is now published.  It survey's the contemporary digital data tracking and online marketing landscape.  It pulls back the curtain on many digital marketing practices and claims.  Worth a look, as they say, if you have time.  More info here.
 

The EU's Article 29 Working Party, the data protection commissioners group, has sent a letter to the IAB EU and EASA saying that the online ad industry should work with the W3C's Do Not Track process.  As you know, the White House endorsed two weeks ago the Digital Advertising Alliance's (DAA) plan to develop a form of Do Not Track.  However, many privacy and consumer groups worry that the DAA's approach will

When the head of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB/US) goes on a tirade in front of the world's leading digital marketing and advertising companies, it's worth noting what's the alarm about.  According to IAB CEO Randall Rothenberg, the biggest threat to the Internet today isn't SOPA or PIPA--it's the work of the EU and W3C to protect consumer privacy!

The Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) political wheeling and dealing should come under greater policymaker and press scrutiny, especially from EU privacy officials.  Online data collection companies are terrified that policymakers will enact reasonable safeguards that ensure consumers and citizens get to decide how their data can be collected and used--not the digital data grabbers at Google, Facebook, and many others.  These digital marketers would prefer that private deals be struck that will allow the data profiling status quo, including on issues related to our finances,

This letter from the US/EU consumer group organization Trans Atlantic Consumer Dialogue, which formally advises both the EU and US, calls on Google to suspend its planned privacy changes.