Google Calls for International Privacy Standards

HairyNevus writes "The Washington Post has an article detailing Google's request for international privacy standards. Google is taking this matter all the way to the U.N., arguing that a hodge-podge of privacy law unnecessarily burdens Internet-based companies while also failing to protect consumers. Although Google is currently under investigation by the EU for its privacy practices, the company claims it has been a crusader for protecting consumer privacy. Google's privacy counsel Peter Fleischer called America's privacy laws 'too complex and too much of a patchwork,' and the European Union's laws 'too bureaucratic and inflexible.' The alternative? Something closer to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation's framework which 'balances very carefully information privacy with business needs and commercial interests', according to Fleischer."

Comments

Re:Google can afford to respect local law for now

[Anonymous Coward]

There is many countries who have similar things. And they are even called either Social Security Numbers or Person Identification Numbers. As far as I know Finland has one. And Sweden, Norway, Denmark probably also Germany. It's just needed in modern society to have ability to identify the people distinctively. On the other hand at least in Finland the law is very strict what can be done with the people's information and what rights people have to their own info.

Re:So the EU privacy regulation is too bureaucrati

[Anonymous Brave Guy]

AFIAK, even in Europe you still do not have the rights to demand that a company delete personal data about you or to prevent them from collecting it in the first place. You only have the right to see (for a fee) what they're holding about you, and to require them to correct it if it's wrong. Some countries impose more restrictions than this, but they're not universal. This is a major part of the privacy problem, IMHO.