Electronic Privacy Information Center
Recent News About Electronic Privacy Information Center
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The California Assembly has passed a bill that mandates browser developers to provide an opt-out tool for users. Advocacy groups such as Consumer Reports, the Electronic Privacy Information Center, and trade organization Digital Content Next, which represents publishers, support the bill.
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Facial recognition technology is being widely used at sporting events, according to a recent statement by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC). Jake Wiener, counsel at EPIC, expressed concerns about the implications of this technology in such settings.
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Free speech is in crisis. While students’ speech rights are being trampled by universities with support from many commentators and politicians alike, tech companies are hijacking freedom of speech with a concerning degree of success. A course correction is sorely needed, and the first step is to acknowledge that something has gone terribly wrong with the concept of free speech when corporations have a stronger claim to it than individuals.
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Advocacy groups such as Consumer Reports and the Electronic Privacy Information Center have praised the measure, calling it stronger than other state privacy laws.
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Despite Meta’s assurances about efforts to mitigate risks to young users, the EU's investigation into Facebook and Instagram should serve as a cautionary signal to other platforms, according to some experts.
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A broad coalition of civil society organizations, including the ACLU, the Brennan Center for Justice, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), has strongly opposed RISAA. The EFF noted that the law "does everything BUT reform Section 702."
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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a stern warning to automakers over data privacy concerns related to connected cars. The warning came in the form of a blog post, which is usually the result of significant internal discussion and even listening sessions and workshops within the agency, according to John Davisson, director of litigation at the Electronic Privacy Information Center.
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The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), a non-profit online privacy advocacy group, has disputed the breadth of protections offered by Section 230, arguing that tech companies are overstepping its intended scope. Lawyers for EPIC, Megan Iorio and Tom McBrien, stated in a recent blog post that the provision was not designed to be a substitute for online free speech and innovation.
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More than 20 organizations have expressed their concerns in a letter to top officials, stating that they believe the new definition of an Electronic Communication Service Provider (ECSP) adopted by Congress might allow the National Security Agency (NSA) to compel almost any US business to assist them. The organizations highlighted that all companies today provide some sort of "service" and have access to equipment on which "communications" are stored.
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The Vermont Legislature has passed a bill, considered one of the most robust data privacy measures in the country, prohibiting the sale of sensitive data such as social security and drivers’ license numbers, as well as financial or health information. This legislation also sets substantial limits on the amount of personal data that companies can collect and use, according to the nonprofit Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) based in Washington, D.C.
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Cyberprivacy expert Alan Butler has expressed concern over the use of Social Security numbers as universal identifiers, stating, "It’s terrible from a security perspective." As the executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a nonprofit dedicated to defending privacy and identity rights, Butler has highlighted that these numbers are mandatory for any activity that triggers tax reporting. This includes employers reporting wages to the IRS.
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The Vermont Legislature has passed a data privacy bill that is being lauded by national consumer protection groups. Organizations such as Consumer Reports and the Electronic Privacy Information Center believe this legislation could signify a "turning point" in state privacy laws.
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Vermont has recently passed a data privacy law that grants consumers the right to sue companies for violations. This new legislation also imposes restrictions on how businesses can utilize geolocation data, as reported by Caitriona Fitzgerald, a privacy advocate from the Electronic Privacy Information Center.
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Several lawsuits have been filed against companies and individuals who unlawfully sought to invalidate the 2020 election results. However, the settlement of the National Coalition On Black Civic Participation stands out as it resolves claims of spreading false information to protected categories of voters.
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"Privacy advocates, however, have been far from satisfied with the new amendments to FISA. For instance, the Electronic Privacy Information Center, the Brennan Center for Justice and FreedomWorks issued a paper stating: 'Making 56 ineffective tweaks to a fundamentally broken law is not reforming it.'"
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Maryland has enacted a privacy law that has been met with opposition from the advertising industry. The Electronic Privacy Information Center lauded the new statute, declaring it "sets a new standard for state privacy laws."
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The U.S. government is taking steps to regulate the use of data purchased from commercial brokers by intelligence agencies. The principles were released by a top spy official, aiming to provide a framework for the appropriate utilization of such information.
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"Communications Daily: Telecom Groups: FTC Should Focus AI Rules on Scammers, Not Industry"
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Tech Policy Press: The FCC’s Big Fines Over Location Data Aren’t a Privacy Success Story
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Washington, D.C., for example, was using nearly 30 automated decision-making systems to surveil, screen, and score District residents in areas such as public benefits, health care, policing, and housing, according to an investigation by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) in 2022. “Automated decision-making is threaded throughout a wide variety of public services in D.C.,” EPIC points out in its report “Screened and Scored in the District of Columbia.”