Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

EU Privacy Directive — Coming To the US?

Posted by Zonk on from the enjoy-your-privacy-citizen-it's-the-law dept.

An anonymous reader writes "An article over at ComputerWorld implies that the EU Privacy Directive, or something like it, will soon be signed into law here in the USA. The author seems to think this is a good thing, but I'm not so sure. From the article: 'We've finally come to realize that self-regulation by industry hasn't worked. The states have stepped in, creating the same situation of conflicting regulation that led to the creation of the EU privacy directive. The only question now is if the law that comes out of Congress will be a small step strictly focused on breaches, such as S.239, or whether we take the bigger step of forming a permanent committee under the FTC to monitor privacy as outlined by S.1178. Either way, the U.S. is finally moving away from the fractured environment of the past and toward a comprehensive privacy strategy.' Is it time for a national privacy law or 'Privacy Czar', or are we better off letting things be?"

3 of 180 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Is it just me by whoever57 · · Score: 3, Informative

    What about the anchovy used in Cesar Salad (either directly or as an ingredient of Worcestershire sauce)? That should put it off the list of edible foods for vegetarians.

    --
    The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
  2. Re:Is it just me by capnez · · Score: 3, Informative

    Incidentially, I just read my current issue of The Economist, and they have a leader (op-ed piece) about absurd titles. You can read it online at http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm? story_id=9339915.

    My favourite sentence from that piece: "What next? Führers, Caudillos, Duci, Gauleiters and Generalisimos must be due for a comeback."

    --
    Axe me while I slumber
  3. Re:Gaaah!! Go, go fist of death! by emm-tee · · Score: 5, Informative

    No, I do not want the government monitoring my privacy. That is the exact opposite of privacy. You don't understand (or maybe you are a troll). The government doesn't monitor the individual. This is a set of rules to limit what organisations can do with information about individuals.

    I know almost nothing about the EU Privacy Directive, but I think the UK's Data Protection Act implements all or part of it, and I have a basic understanding of this. Please note my knowledge is very limited, there may be factual errors in my post, I'm not a lawyer.

    The Data Protection Act restricts what an organisation can do with any personal data (such as your address), which it processes.

    For example, the organisation:
    • can only use your data for the purposes stated when you gave them the data.
    • cannot keep much more data than is necessary for the purpose stated.
    • cannot pass your data on to a third party without your permission (this means that I get no junk post at all).
    • must ensure that any data they hold on you is accurate.
    • is not allowed to hold the information for longer than is necessary.
    • must keep the data secure.
    • may not export your data to a place where it is subject to less stringent privacy rules.
    • must provide you a copy of any data they have on you for a small fee (this is what allows people to request copies of closed-circuit television tapes they may appear in).


    See http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/RightsAndResponsibilit ies/DG_10028507 for more information.