--------------------------------------------------------------- EPIC DIGEST AT PRIVACY.ORG EPIC-DIGEST is a weekly update of news, information, and action items posted on privacy.org. May 29-June 5, 2001 TOC------------------------------------------------------------ NEWS EPIC Files Complaint Against eTour.com Amazon Alexa Service Deemed Deceptive Identity Thieves Use Info Brokers Corporate Alliance Enables Easier Tracking of Users Virus Detects Child Porn, Warns Police Privacy Coalition Urges New FTC Chair to Protect Privacy State Department Employees Protest Drug Testing DoubleClick Seeks Public Comment on Privacy Policy ACTION Support the Privacy Coalition's Privacy Pledge NEWS----------------------------------------------------------- EPIC Files Complaint Against eTour.com EPIC has sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission and to the National Association of Attorneys General alleging that eTour.com sold personal information to a third party in violation of its privacy policy. EPIC Letter to FTC and NAAG Regarding eTour.com, EPIC Web Site, May 25, 2001. http://www.epic.org/privacy/internet/etour.html Privacy: EPIC Alleges Jeevesı Purchase of eTour Data Violates Law, Tech Law Journal Daily Report, May 29, 2001. http://www.techlawjournal.com/alert/2001/05/29.asp --------------------------------------------------------------- Amazon Alexa Service Deemed Deceptive The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has determined that Amazonıs Alexa service made deceptive statements about its privacy practices. The Alexa service tracked usersı movements on the web and collected personal information, contrary to privacy guarantees. However, the FTC decided not to sanction the company because Amazon has revised its privacy policy to more accurately reflect the Alexa service data collection techniques. FTC concludes Amazon/Alexa probably deceived consumers about privacy, decides to do nothing, Junkbusters Corp Web Site. http://www.junkbusters.com/new.html#Amazon FTC: Amazon privacy practices "deceptive", Bloomberg News, May 30, 2001. http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1007-200-6107912.html?tag=mn_hd Amazon Likely Made Deceptive Statements On Privacy Policy, Federal Regulators Say, Wall Street Journal, May 30, 2001 (subscription required). http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB99117466275010670.htm --------------------------------------------------------------- Identity Thieves Use Info Brokers Identity thieves typically obtain personal information about individuals by sifting though credit card solicitations in the mail or by stealing wallets and purses. Increasingly, identity thieves have employed commercial information brokers to obtain this information. By using the information brokers, they are able to obtain Social Security numbers, employment information, driving records, and other personal information. Identity Thieves Thrive in Information Age Rise of Online Data Brokers Makes Criminal Impersonation Easier, Washington Post, May 31, 2001. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A77996-2001May25.html --------------------------------------------------------------- Corporate Alliance Enables Easier Tracking of Users An agreement among BayTSP, Media Enforcer, and Copyright.net is enabling the companies to engage in broader tracking of users for copyright enforcement. If You Can't Track 'em, Join 'em, Wired, May 31, 2001. http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,44171,00.html --------------------------------------------------------------- Virus Detects Child Porn, Warns Police A worm virus designed to detect child pornography and alert authorities has been circulating on the Internet. The virus scans hard drives, looking for image files with names that suggest pornographic content involving children. Upon identifying the files, the virus sends user information to police. Worm tracks down child porn, ZDNet, May 31, 2001. http://www.msnbc.com/news/579872.asp --------------------------------------------------------------- Privacy Coalition Urges New FTC Chair to Protect Privacy Members of the Privacy Coalition have sent a letter to incoming Federal Trade Commission Chair Tim Muris urging him to take action to protect privacy. Privacy Coalition Letter to FTC Chair Timothy Muris, Privacy Coalition Web Site, May 31, 2001. http://www.privacypledge.org/ftcmuris.html Groups promote privacy to new FTC chair, CNET, May 30, 2001. http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1007-200-6119867.html?tag=nbs FTC Powerless to Protect Privacy, Wired, May 31, 2001. http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,44173,00.html --------------------------------------------------------------- State Department Employees Protest Drug Testing State Department employees have formed a group to protest random drug testing in the agency. The group, named Defenders of the Fourth Amendment, argues that random drug testing is not a cost-effective deterrent and that it constitutes an invasion of personal privacy. Group Protests Drug Testing Policy Random Screening Intrusive and Ineffective, Government Workers Say, Washington Post, June 1, 2001. http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3970-2001May31.html --------------------------------------------------------------- DoubleClick Seeks Public Comment on Privacy Policy DoubleClick, a large advertising and profiling company, is seeking public comment on its new privacy policy. The new policy explains DoubleClickıs use of cookies and how an Internet user can opt-out of DoubleClickıs profiling. DoubleClick Asks For Feedback On New Privacy Policy, Newsbytes, June 1, 2001. http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/166387.html Double-click Privacy Policy, DoubleClick web site. http://www.doubleclick.net:80/us/corporate/privacy/privacy --------------------------------------------------------------- Privacy.org is a joint project of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (http://www.epic.org) and Privacy International (http://www.privacyinternational.org). 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