News & Headlines

• September 01, 2010 Why privacy on the Web isn't dispensable
• August 30, 2010 Blocking out online friends
• August 29, 2010 Retargeting ads follow surfers to other sites
• August 27, 2010 For a 'free gift card,' simply give away your personal information
• August 26, 2010 Hackers invade iTunes accounts

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

• 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.
• September 09, 2009 Privacy "report card" gives Obama Administration mediocre grades The Electronic Privacy Information Center released the results of a privacy "report card," grading the Obama Administration on its activities with regard to consumer privacy, medical privacy, cybersecurity, and civil liberties.
• June 04, 2009 'Web bugs' allow widespread online data sharing Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley's School of Information released a report on June 1 showing that the most popular Web sites in the United States all share data with their corporate affiliates and allow third parties to collect information directly by using tracking beacons known as "Web bugs" - despite the sites' claims that they don't share user data with third parties.

Coalition

• August 05, 2010 Congress should investigate Microsoft's decision to undermine consumer privacy Consumer Action joined in a letter to the Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce Rep. Henry Waxman and a Ranking Member of the committee, Rep. Joe Barton, requesting that they formally open an investigation into the decision-making process that led to a severe weakening of privacy protections in Microsoft's Internet Explorer.
• August 04, 2010 Privacy legislation must be grounded in Fair Information Practices Consumer Action signed onto testimony presented by U.S. Public Interest Research Group's Consumer Program Director at a legislative hearing examining draft legislation aimed at regulating the collection and disclosure of personal information online.
• June 25, 2010 Online privacy bill needs to be fortified with FIPs and other protections Consumer and privacy advocates responded to calls for comments on a draft online privacy bill proposed by Representatives Rick Boucher and Cliff Stearns. Among other items, the letter asks for an incorporation of Fair Information Practices (FIPs) and no federal pre-emption of stronger state privacy laws.
• April 23, 2010 Give the FTC the tools it needs to protect consumers In coalition with other organizations Consumer Action asked the Senate to keep provisions in a bill under consideration that would strengthen the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
• January 29, 2010 Privacy and Fair Information Practices should guide FCC Consumer Action and other consumer advocates sent comments to the Federal Communications Commission describing the collection and use of personal data by companies, problems with industry self-regulatory models, and principles and standards that should serve as the foundation of consumer privacy protection.

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