Privacy

2023-12-21 19:24:30
by Tom Ramstack
FTC Proposes Crackdown on Tech Companies for Surveillance of Child Users

WASHINGTON — The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday proposed sweeping new regulations to protect children from surveillance techniques used by... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday proposed sweeping new regulations to protect children from surveillance techniques used by internet companies. The proposed rules could change how social media monetizes data they glean from children’s gaming, learning and internet... Read More

2023-07-05 15:59:22
by Kennedy Thomason
Privacy Protections Are Back on Table for Student Records

WASHINGTON — A new bill, the Protecting Education Privacy Act, could bolster student privacy by restricting third-party access to their college... Read More

WASHINGTON — A new bill, the Protecting Education Privacy Act, could bolster student privacy by restricting third-party access to their college and university records. The bill was reintroduced just before the current House recess by Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo. Though rights... Read More

Why Are State Privacy Laws Getting Worse?

In an alternate universe, the new crop of privacy laws in Iowa, Indiana and Tennessee could have been cause for... Read More

In an alternate universe, the new crop of privacy laws in Iowa, Indiana and Tennessee could have been cause for celebration, marking a growing number of consumers around the country enjoying strong new protections over their personal data. In reality,... Read More

Biden's Efforts to Protect Abortion Access Hit Roadblocks

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is still actively searching for ways to safeguard abortion access for millions of women,... Read More

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is still actively searching for ways to safeguard abortion access for millions of women, even as it bumps up against a complex web of strict new state laws enacted in the months after the Supreme... Read More

2022-09-27 17:29:12
by Madeline Hughes
DC Considers Wide-Ranging Anti-Discrimination Data Law

WASHINGTON — D.C. Councilman Robert White heard nearly seven hours of wide-ranging testimony about the proposed Stop Discrimination by Algorithms... Read More

WASHINGTON — D.C. Councilman Robert White heard nearly seven hours of wide-ranging testimony about the proposed Stop Discrimination by Algorithms Act last week. The proposed law would prohibit a wide range of businesses across the district from using algorithms to... Read More

2022-09-16 18:08:51
by Madeline Hughes
Bipartisan Concern for Border Patrol’s Access to Travelers’ Phones

WASHINGTON — A letter to Commissioner Chris Magnus of Customs and Border Protection revealed the agency gathers data from Americans’... Read More

WASHINGTON — A letter to Commissioner Chris Magnus of Customs and Border Protection revealed the agency gathers data from Americans’ phones, laptops and other electronic devices in what they call a “border search,” potentially storing that information for years. “Innocent... Read More

2022-09-13 17:08:08
by Madeline Hughes
Senators: ICE Should Stop ‘Orwellian Data Gathering’

WASHINGTON — Senators are urging the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to shut down its “Orwellian data-gathering efforts,” according to... Read More

WASHINGTON — Senators are urging the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to shut down its “Orwellian data-gathering efforts,” according to a letter sent by Sens. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Tuesday. The senators reference multiple reports, including one... Read More

2022-09-12 19:33:25
by Madeline Hughes
California’s New Law Protects Teenagers Online

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — All children under 18 need to be protected on the internet, according to California lawmakers, who recently... Read More

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — All children under 18 need to be protected on the internet, according to California lawmakers, who recently approved a new law that would extend online data protections to all children. They sent the bill, the California Age-Appropriate... Read More

2022-09-08 16:06:26
by Madeline Hughes
Court Documents: Facebook Doesn’t Know What Data It Collects

WASHINGTON — Facebook’s user data is scattered throughout its system in such a way no one person could detail exactly... Read More

WASHINGTON — Facebook’s user data is scattered throughout its system in such a way no one person could detail exactly what information the social media company collects on an individual. This is according to recently unsealed court documents from the... Read More

Post-Roe Differences Surface in GOP Over New Abortion Rules

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — When the U.S. Supreme Court repealed in June a woman's constitutional right to an abortion, Wisconsin's 1849 law... Read More

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — When the U.S. Supreme Court repealed in June a woman's constitutional right to an abortion, Wisconsin's 1849 law that bans the procedure except when a mother's life is at risk became newly relevant. Republicans in the Legislature blocked an... Read More

2022-08-11 21:38:00
by Madeline Hughes
FTC Probes Stricter Data Privacy Rules

WASHINGTON — The Federal Trade Commission is asking the public if they’d like more privacy shields to protect them from... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Federal Trade Commission is asking the public if they’d like more privacy shields to protect them from “commercial surveillance” and poor data security. The commission announced an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Thursday that kicks off the... Read More

2022-07-27 23:43:41
by Madeline Hughes
Privacy Laws for Children Pass Out of Committee

WASHINGTON  — Two new bills aiming to protect children’s privacy rights on the internet passed out of the Senate Committee... Read More

WASHINGTON  — Two new bills aiming to protect children’s privacy rights on the internet passed out of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Wednesday. Both bills passed through the committee and moved to a possible vote for the... Read More

2022-07-22 20:19:59
by Madeline Hughes
Privacy Advocates Divided on Potential Legislation

WASHINGTON — Data privacy is getting its turn in the spotlight this week as the bipartisan American Data Privacy and... Read More

WASHINGTON — Data privacy is getting its turn in the spotlight this week as the bipartisan American Data Privacy and Protection Act passed out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee with wide agreement in a 53-2 vote. “It’s the... Read More

2022-07-21 16:33:58
by Madeline Hughes
FCC Asks Cell Carriers About Use and Retention of Geolocation Data

WASHINGTON — Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is asking the country’s top cellphone carriers for information on how each... Read More

WASHINGTON — Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is asking the country’s top cellphone carriers for information on how each company uses and retains customer geolocation data. It’s important because “mobile internet service providers are uniquely situated to capture a... Read More

2022-07-20 23:19:38
by Madeline Hughes
Bipartisan Data Privacy Legislation Passes Out of Committee

WASHINGTON — Bipartisan legislation to protect data that “identifies or is linked or reasonably linkable” to any one person passed... Read More

WASHINGTON — Bipartisan legislation to protect data that “identifies or is linked or reasonably linkable” to any one person passed in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce in a 53-2 vote Wednesday. “Today’s vote has been years in the... Read More

2022-07-19 20:50:28
by Alexa Hornbeck
Congress Moves to Address Data Privacy Concerns Post-Dobbs

WASHINGTON — The Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act is floating through the House and Senate, taking aim at... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act is floating through the House and Senate, taking aim at whether the government should be able to access personal data, such as sensitive health information. “There’s been a lot of... Read More

2022-06-01 23:02:01
by Madeline Hughes
Privacy Advocates on High Alert as Roe Decision Looms

WASHINGTON — Data privacy advocates are sounding the alarm as the Supreme Court’s official opinion looms on the Mississippi lawsuit... Read More

WASHINGTON — Data privacy advocates are sounding the alarm as the Supreme Court’s official opinion looms on the Mississippi lawsuit that likely could overturn the precedent for a woman’s right to an abortion set by Roe v. Wade. If the... Read More

2022-05-17 20:49:08
by Madeline Hughes
Report Details ICE Surveillance Dragnet

WASHINGTON — Weaving together information from public databases and private data brokers, immigration officials have created a vast surveillance system... Read More

WASHINGTON — Weaving together information from public databases and private data brokers, immigration officials have created a vast surveillance system that can be used on nearly any American, regardless of immigration status, according to a new report from Georgetown Law’s... Read More

2022-05-14 23:11:26
by Alexa Hornbeck
Health Care Organizations Rally for Abortion Rights in DC

WASHINGTON — Thousands of protestors gathered on Saturday to march for abortion rights from the Washington Monument to the Supreme... Read More

WASHINGTON — Thousands of protestors gathered on Saturday to march for abortion rights from the Washington Monument to the Supreme Court building. The rally, called "Bans Off Our Bodies" was arranged by health organizations and advocates from across the country,... Read More

Court Rejects Lawsuit Against NSA on "State Secrets" Grounds

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — A divided federal appeals court has upheld the dismissal of an ACLU lawsuit challenging a... Read More

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — A divided federal appeals court has upheld the dismissal of an ACLU lawsuit challenging a portion of the National Security Agency's warrantless surveillance of Americans' international email and phone communications.  The 4th U.S. Circuit Court... Read More

2021-08-30 19:52:25
by Victoria Turner
FTC Commissioner Says There are Benefits to a Federal Privacy Law

WASHINGTON -- As a number of states move towards enacting their own data privacy laws, the U.S. Congress should come... Read More

WASHINGTON -- As a number of states move towards enacting their own data privacy laws, the U.S. Congress should come up with its own comprehensive privacy statute enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, said FTC Commissioner Noah Phillips Monday. Having... Read More

2021-06-30 20:36:51
by Tom Ramstack
Congress Told FBI Often Violates Privacy With Poorly Monitored Internet Warrants

WASHINGTON -- Free press advocates told Congress Wednesday that the Justice Department is out of control in secretly seeking Internet-based... Read More

WASHINGTON -- Free press advocates told Congress Wednesday that the Justice Department is out of control in secretly seeking Internet-based information about its political adversaries. Comments from lawmakers during a hearing of the House Judiciary Committee indicated the FBI and... Read More

2021-05-19 19:34:34
by TWN Staff
Nevada Considering New Web Privacy Protections for COVID Sites

CARSON CITY, Nev. - Nevada lawmakers are fast-tracking emergency legislation to bolster web privacy protections after a nonprofit news organization... Read More

CARSON CITY, Nev. - Nevada lawmakers are fast-tracking emergency legislation to bolster web privacy protections after a nonprofit news organization revealed the state's COVID-19 vaccine information site contained the most trackers in the country. The legislation, introduced by Assembly Minority... Read More

2021-03-29 18:07:59
by Alexa Hornbeck
Posting Vaccine Cards Online Could Attract Scammers

As vaccine eligibility expands to those 16 and over in many states, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is warning those... Read More

As vaccine eligibility expands to those 16 and over in many states, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is warning those getting shots against posting photos of their vaccine cards online.  “I’ve seen people wanting to be proud and show off... Read More

2021-03-10 20:34:55
by Reece Nations
DelBene Renews Push for Consumer Privacy Law

WASHINGTON — As states begin to consider consumer privacy legislation, Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., is renewing her push for a... Read More

WASHINGTON — As states begin to consider consumer privacy legislation, Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., is renewing her push for a federal statute on the matter.  California and Virginia have already enacted comprehensive state data privacy laws, but DelBene said a... Read More

2020-09-11 20:30:53
by Kate Michael
Portland First to Ban Private Entities From Using Facial Recognition Technology

PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland officials voted on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in favor of the nation’s first-ever ban on private... Read More

PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland officials voted on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in favor of the nation’s first-ever ban on private entities using facial recognition technology in its city public spaces. In a second ordinance approved on the same day, the... Read More

Senate Passes Amended FISA Surveillance Overhaul

WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday easily passed an amended bill to revive and increase oversight of surveillance powers. Senators... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday easily passed an amended bill to revive and increase oversight of surveillance powers. Senators voted, 80-16, to pass the measure before finishing up work on Capitol Hill for the week. Under a previous agreement,... Read More

DNA Databases Are a Boon to Police But a Menace to Privacy, Critics Say

WASHINGTON — Nearly two years after the arrest of the suspected Golden State Killer revitalized DNA forensics, some state lawmakers... Read More

WASHINGTON — Nearly two years after the arrest of the suspected Golden State Killer revitalized DNA forensics, some state lawmakers around the country are pushing to stop or restrict police searches of genetic code databases. Other lawmakers, meanwhile, want to... Read More

As Congress Stalls on Data Privacy, Big Tech Tangles With States

WASHINGTON — Top U.S. technology companies are shifting their focus to state capitals to shape emerging data privacy laws as... Read More

WASHINGTON — Top U.S. technology companies are shifting their focus to state capitals to shape emerging data privacy laws as progress on a federal bill has slowed. Trade groups representing consumer-oriented technology companies such as Amazon, Google and Facebook, as... Read More

Researchers Warn Census Privacy Efforts May Muddy Data

WASHINGTON — Steps taken by the Census Bureau to protect individual responses may muddy cancer research, housing policy, transportation planning,... Read More

WASHINGTON — Steps taken by the Census Bureau to protect individual responses may muddy cancer research, housing policy, transportation planning, legislative map-drawing and health care policy, researchers have warned the agency. The problems come from a new policy — differential... Read More

1 2
Straight From The Well
scroll top