News & Headlines

• February 01, 2012 Personal data’s value? Facebook is set to find out
• January 25, 2012 Google announces privacy changes across products; users can’t opt out
• January 20, 2012 For online privacy, click here
• January 18, 2012 Teens swap passwords in show of affection
• January 11, 2012 Cyberattacks likely to escalate this year

Publications

CA News & Special Reports

2010 Summer Issue: Online Privacy The Summer 2010 issue of Consumer Action News focuses on personal privacy rights in the digital age. The issue includes the results of our recent Online Privacy Survey as well as articles about controlling personal information on the Internet, Facebook privacy settings, privacy legislation proposed… ( Wednesday, July 21, 2010 )

On Our Radar

• June 17, 2011 Study digs into how we use social networks A study from the Pew Internet and American Life Project reveals how our trust, personal relationships, and civic and political involvement are connected to the use of social network sites and other technologies.
• January 13, 2011 Supreme Court health data case could sway online privacy debate The Supreme Court has announced it will hear Sorrell v. IMS Health, a case relating to the sale of personal health data, such as prescriptions. It's a case that will affect both consumer health privacy laws and may influence the ongoing debate over online privacy.
• April 13, 2010 Recordkeeping 101: Determining what to keep and what to shred How should you discard your unnecessary personal and financial records? Privacy Rights Clearinghouse is providing consumers with tips and information sources to help you decide which records you need to save, and how long you need to keep them.
• November 17, 2009 Study: How people perceive online behavioral advertising Carnegie Mellon University researchers Aleecia M. McDonald and Lorrie Faith Cranor conducted this study of attitudes about Internet advertising. While many of the participants raised privacy issues in the first few minutes of discussion without any prompting about privacy, most knew little or nothing about online advertising and tracking.
• October 30, 2009 NPR series examines digital privacy National Public Radio (NPR) has launched series that looks at many aspects of digital privacy, including a discussion on cell phone privacy, social networking, and privacy law.

Coalition

• December 14, 2011 Occupy Wall Street movement highlights another harm from big banks: loss of privacy Consumer Action signed onto a letter supporting Occupy Wall Street's demand for corporate accountability and transparency, particularly with regard to privacy violations by big banks.
• May 04, 2011 FTC should swiftly conclude its review of children's online privacy law Consumer groups asked Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz to wrap up its review of the Children's Online Privacy Protection (COPPA) legislation, as more and more websites aimed at children are installing and using tracking technologies.
• April 12, 2011 CA supports YouTube-Google in landmark case Consumer Action joined the National Consumers League, Consumers Union, and the U.S. Student Association in an amicus brief supporting YouTube-Google in the Viacom v. YouTube case. The case, now in U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, is key to staving off threats to online innovation and expression.
• April 12, 2011 Bill to protect online privacy needs strengthening in key ways Consumer Action signed onto a letter to Senators John Kerry and John McCain laying out reasons why their bill to protect consumer privacy online fails to do so in an effective way.
• February 04, 2011 Commerce should recommend increased protections for kids and teens online In a letter to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce, Consumer Action joined coalition members in responding to the agency's released "green" paper on online privacy. Specifically, groups asked the Department of Commerce to support stronger online protections for children and adolescents.

BookNotes