Privacy

UC Panel OKs Initial Work To Presidential Mansion

September 18, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/UC-panel-OKs-initial-work-to-presidential-mansion-4822382.php">Click here to view pictures of the mansion</a>.</p> <p>The recession is over, and <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=education&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22University+of+California%22">University of California</a> officials need a place to party.</p>

Web Standards Group Plans To Continue Do-Not-Track Effort

September 17, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p>The Internet standards group World Wide Web Consortium said on Tuesday that it intends to move forward with an online privacy initiative, despite the high-profile departure of the Digital Advertising Alliance.</p>

Privacy Advocates Look To California

September 16, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p><span style="font-size:16px; font-family:arial;">SAN FRANCISCO — Frustrated by a lack of action at the federal level, privacy advocates pushing for an online Do Not Track law are hoping a California measure will kindle a national debate.</span></p>

Our online privacy laws expose us to online snooping

September 15, 2013  ·  Consumer Watchdog

From SFGate.com “ Two federal courts in California recently took up the question of whether invasion of privacy laws should apply to unauthorized opening of...

Op-Ed Commentary: Privacy Laws Need Update for Internet Age

September 15, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

Two federal courts in California recently took up the question of whether invasion of privacy laws should apply to unauthorized opening of e-mail, in one...

Google Street View Case Shows Challenges Posed By Watchdogs

September 13, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p><b>Google loses its appeal in the Street View privacy lawsuit, highlighting the difficulties that counsel can face dealing with consumer watchdog groups</b></p> <p>For Google, the recent ruling by a U.S. appeals court concerning the tech giant’s Street View program represents both bad news and even worse news. </p>

Google Execs Have Developed a Taste for Pacific Islands

September 13, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Top Google executives seem to have a penchant for travel on their private jet fleet to exotic locales in the Pacific Ocean, such as Tahiti, Palau, Fiji and Kiritimati, also known as Christmas Island, <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323864604579069730686941454.html">according to Federal Aviation Administration records</a>.</p>

Google Faces Paying Out ‘Billions Of Dollars’ After Appeal Court Rules Privacy Campaigners Can Sue Over Illegal Data Gathering With Its Street View Cars

September 11, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco upholds federal court’s ruling Firm is being sued by users who claim their privacy was violated by Google...

Google Wi-Fi Snooping Case Shows Company’s Contradictory Views On Privacy

September 11, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

A federal court’s decision to let a class action suit move forward against Google (opens in new tab) for nabbing data transmitted over household Wi-Fi...

Court Paves Way for Lawsuit Over Google’s WiFi Fishing Expedition

September 11, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p><b>Google has lost its appeal to dismiss a class action lawsuit over its Street View cars' poaching of data from unsecured WiFi networks. "Google went out like fishermen with nets and scooped up whatever electronic fish were out there and processed it," said tech attorney Ray Van Dyke. It "could have thrown those fish back but did not. Indeed, if the fish was protected, Google still kept it."</b></p> <p> </p>

Facebook Privacy Change Is Subject Of F.T.C. Inquiry

September 11, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p itemprop="articleBody">Facebook, which has repeatedly tripped over its own feet when changing its privacy practices, has stumbled yet again.</p> <p itemprop="articleBody">The Federal Trade Commission said on Wednesday that it had begun an inquiry into whether the social network’s proposed new privacy policies, unveiled two weeks ago, violated a 2011 agreement with regulators. Under that agreement, the social network is required to get the explicit consent of its users before exposing their private information to new audiences.</p>

FTC Evaulating Facebook Policy Changes

September 11, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p>The Federal Trade Commission is evaluating whether changes to two of Facebook’s key privacy policies adhere to a 2011 agreement between the agency and the social network.</p> <p>Facebook spokeswoman Jodi Seth confirmed that the FTC is evaluating Facebook’s policies.  </p>