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More on Internet Privacy Legislation

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the prior-proper-planning-protects-privacy dept.

Last week we noted that Senator Hollings had introduced a privacy bill and that there were likely to be more introduced. Now Salon has a piece critical of Hollings' bill. EPIC wrote about it as well, and they seem to think it's not too bad, all things considered. Read Hollings' bill yourself and decide who's right. Also of note is a bill introduced in the House that would require all Federal agencies to prepare privacy impact statements (the ACLU has a summary) akin to the environmental impact statements now required for actions adversely affecting the environment. Seems like a good idea to me.

2 of 135 comments (clear)

  1. sensitive/non-sensitive by Transient0 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ---direct quote from bill

    (c) NONSENSITIVE PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION REQUIRES ROBUST NOTICE AND OPT-OUT CONSENT- An internet service provider, online service provider, or operator of a commercial website may not--

    (1) collect personally identifiable information not described in subsection (b) online, or
    (2) disclose or otherwise use such information collected online, from a user of that service or website.

    ---end quote

    Salon's article does sem a bit overly critical. This bill is a necessary piece of legislation. Sure some would like to see it even stricter(prohibiting any spyware style market research), but as it is it prohibits companies from collecting sensitive information and also from collecting information which is non-sensitve but could potentially be used to identify you.

    The Salon article implies that the bill will allow companies to collect all sorts of non-sensitive personal information and use it to build a complete profile of you, including the stuff that can't be directly collected due to it's sensitivity. This just isn't true.

    --
    lysergically yours
  2. I think I see his nefarious plan... by phong3d · · Score: 5, Funny
    I think Hollings is actually a visionary! He realizes that the high-tech industry can bring a lot of jobs and money into a state, and South Carolina's not really one of the hot geek destinations right now.

    So, he's decided that if he can sponsor enough loony internet-related bills, he'll rile up enough geeks to move to South Carolina for the sole purpose of voting him out of office. Once they're settled there, they'll figure they might as well get jobs and some entreprenurial-minded individuals will start businesses that will eventually boost the economy of the state!

    I have to admit, it's a brilliant plan from a brilliant senator, whose love of his state far outweighs petty concerns like hundreds of thousands of dollars in lobbyist contributions.

    Bravo, Senator Hollings, bravo!