Facebook Updates Privacy Policy

Here is the note on the Facebook blog concerning updates to their privacy practices.

Fears of "Behavioral Advertising" via USA TODAY

An interesting take on the positive aspects of highly targeted advertising based on web use (ease of use, convenience, strong recommendation correlation) . . . coupled with the obvious personal privacy concerns.  The bitter and sweet of living any part of your life online.

Another NPR Article on Privacy and Technology - This one featuring the infamous "Drunken Pirate" Story

Not much of an NPR fan . . . but they have my attention.  Here is another article with privacy angles.  This piece discusses a new book touting the "virtue of forgetting" in an increasingly connected and digital world.  If only it were that easy.  Have not read the book, but it certainly intrigues me.  I hope that there is some practical guidance here for employees, HR personnel, and especially students.

"If consumers knew the extent to which this data was being collected and repackaged, there would be riots in streets"

This is the startlingly real and honest quote from the first installment of a four-part series that NPR plans to run on the benefits and risks associated with personal content online.  This NPR article  does a nice job -- so far -- of laying out some of the undisclosed dangers of freely giving out information online.  Also comes with a podcast. 

Google Ads and Mortgage/Credit Information

According to a recent lawsuit, Google is entering the mortgage game via its advertising model. Why should you care? When you give consent to a third-party (such as Lending Tree) to attract offers using your confidential credit information, you effectively give up a number of privacy rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. And the companies can do whatever they want with your information. Or, at the very least, they are not as constrained by the laws in how they use your personal information.




Now, with Google in the game, the potential for widespread use and dissemination of your personal credit information is much more likely.

Health Care Bill to Disclose Personal Tax Information

A number of provisions in the proposed House bill on health care call for disclosure of personal tax information of individuals. Here is the article. And here is the bill.

NYC Plans to Track City Employees by GPS on Phones

New York City to begin GPS-tracking on its building inspectors via their mobile phones in response to a fake inspection report in connection with an evential bridge failure.


Not sure that an invasion of privacy is the best way to ensure construction compliance.