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The Center for Democracy and Technology /____/ Volume 4, Number 15
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A briefing on public policy issues affecting civil liberties online
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CDT POLICY POST Volume 4, Number 15 June 22, 1998
CONTENTS: (1) Commerce Department Begins Public Meetings on Internet Privacy
(2) How to Subscribe/Unsubscribe
(3) About CDT, Contacting us
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|PLEASE SEE END OF THIS DOCUMENT FOR INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO
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(1) COMMERCE DEPARTMENT BEGINS PUBLIC MEETINGS ON INTERNET PRIVACY
The Department of Commerce (DOC) will hold a two day public meeting on
Internet Privacy tomorrow and Wednesday-- June 23 and 24. CDT will be
participating in the event along with other consumer and privacy advocates.
Your input is vital to this discussion. The agenda for the event can be
found at the DOC privacy page:
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/privacy/
The event will also be cybercast live.
You can let your voice be heard by sending comments on the Department of
Commerce's plans from CDT's comment page:
http://www.cdt.org/privacy/survey
Recent statements from the DOC indicate that the Administration does not
view the July 1, 1998 deadline, set by their Framework for Electronic
Commerce paper, as a cut-off for assessing the success of industry
self-regulatory activities to protect privacy. Yet, while self-regulation
should be a piece of privacy protections, the recent Federal Trade
Commission report to Congress (see CDT Policy Post 4.14 for more
information) demonstrates overwhelming evidence of the failure of private
sector action alone to provide even basic safeguards.
CDT believes that the conference this week should serve as the jumping-off
point for the White House's effort to develop a coherent national policy on
privacy. It is critical that the Administration work with Congress,
privacy and consumer advocates, and members of the business community
committed to providing privacy protections for their customers, to craft a
framework for privacy protection. Towards this end CDT urges the
Administration to work with Congress, the advocacy community, and all
relevant stake holders to:
* develop specific proposals to protect individual privacy through
self-regulation, legislation and public education;
* develop appropriate policy to protect children's privacy;
* explore the role of technology in protecting privacy and methods by which
the government can promote the development of privacy-enhancing
technologies; and,
* craft the outline of a privacy infrastructure including the creation of a
federal entity to develop privacy policy in both the public and private
sectors.
It is time to develop the proposals and the strategy to move a national
privacy policy forward.
_____________________________________________________________________________
(2) SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
Be sure you are up to date on the latest public policy issues affecting
civil liberties online and how they will affect you! Subscribe to the CDT
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publication of the Center For Democracy and Technology, are received by
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activists, and have become the leading source for information about
critical free speech and privacy issues affecting the Internet and other
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_____________________________________________________________________________
(3) ABOUT THE CENTER FOR DEMOCRACY AND TECHNOLOGY/CONTACTING US
The Center for Democracy and Technology is a non-profit public interest
organization based in Washington, DC. The Center's mission is to develop
and advocate public policies that advance democratic values and
constitutional civil liberties in new computer and communications
technologies.
Contacting us:
General information: info@cdt.org
World Wide Web: http://www.cdt.org/
Snail Mail: The Center for Democracy and Technology
1634 Eye Street NW * Suite 1100 * Washington, DC 20006
(v) +1.202.637.9800 * (f) +1.202.637.0968
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End Policy Post 4.15 6/22/98
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