Search Engine Privacy - Re: AOL gaffe draws Capitol Hill rebuke

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com>
Date: August 10, 2006 11:57:05 AM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Cc: lauren () vortex com
Subject: Search Engine Privacy - Re: AOL gaffe draws Capitol Hill rebuke


Dave, Ladies & Gentlemen, Boys and Girls:

Web site privacy issues in general, and search engine privacy concerns
in particular, are turning into a three-ring circus of ironies.

I discuss these issues until I'm figuratively blue in the face and
yet it's deja vu over and over again.

The article referenced below in fact failed to mention the key aspect
of the search engine data situation that makes this all so bizarre.
We have Rep. Markey, et al. pushing data destruction laws in the wake
of DOJ's push (in support of their Child Online Protection Act case)
to get Google's query data -- which Google wisely resisted, though
ultimately they had to turn some of that data over to DOJ.  I do
agree with some observers who feel that Markey's proposal is so
encompassing that it remains unlikely to ever become law -- I'd much
prefer to see more highly targeted and focused legislation.

But meanwhile, as some of us had been predicting for ages,
DOJ/Gonzales are out there pushing for broad Web site data
*retention* laws -- ostensibly (do we see a pattern emerging?) using
child abuse investigations as the hook.

Gang, we can't have it both ways in any kind of simplistic scenario.
The simple choices are (1) Burn the data to prevent abuse -- and also
prevent any other non-abusive uses of that data, or (2) Retain the
data, along with major internal and external abuse potentials.

The simplistic scenarios are each highly problematic.  We need
to advance these issues in more sophisticated directions.

The only research and policy paths I see that could possibly lead
toward better outcomes in this area are being largely ignored by the
major players, so we have this repeating cycle of events and
reactions banging back and forth.

A few months ago, in: "An Open Letter to Google:
Concepts for a Google Privacy Initiative"
( http://www.vortex.com/google-privacy-initiative ) I set forth a
proposal urging Google, as the global search leader, to apply its
formidable resources toward advancing these issues -- both for
Google's own benefit and ultimately for the benefit of the entire
global community.  In light of the whole series of recent events
relating to the Web site data retention/destruction sphere,
I assert that such efforts are needed now, on a priority basis.

As I've noted previously, we must demand that our data be protected.
Accomplishing this properly requires serious thinking, hard work,
and in the real world more than a little compromise.  We need to
develop effective and reasonable technology and policy paths toward
management of the vast amounts of personally-related data that Web
sites are collecting.  AOL's search query data screw-up is bad
enough, but it's only a drop in the bucket compared with the sorts
of abuses and problems that could take place if we don't move forward
appropriately.  We can be enriched by data, or we can be enslaved by
it.  The choice remains ours.

--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein
lauren () vortex com or lauren () pfir org
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
http://www.pfir.org/lauren
Co-Founder, PFIR
   - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
Co-Founder, IOIC
   - International Open Internet Coalition - http://www.ioic.net
Moderator, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
DayThink: http://daythink.vortex.com

 - - -

> AOL gaffe draws Capitol Hill rebuke
> By Declan McCullagh
>
> Democratic politician says flap shows new laws are necessary to force
> Web sites to delete data. Not everyone is convinced.
>
> http://news.com.com/AOL+gaffe+draws+Capitol+Hill+rebuke/ 
> 2100-1028_3-6104040.html?tag=sas.email



-------------------------------------
You are subscribed as lists-ip () insecure org
To manage your subscription, go to
 http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip

Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/