Tips for consumers:
Read the Terms of Service before placing any information in the cloud. If you don’t understand the Terms of Service, consider using a different cloud provider.
Don’t put anything in the cloud you would not want the government or a private litigant to see.
WPF report announcement — The World Privacy Forum’s newest report examines the privacy and confidentiality issues of cloud computing that have been largely overlooked to date. It is a thorough analysis with policy findings.
Privacy in the Clouds: Risks to Privacy and Confidentiality from Cloud Computing was written by Robert Gellman for the World Privacy Forum.
Cloud computing tips for consumers and business are also available.
Internet privacy — The Federal Trade Commission released its self-regulatory principles for behaviorally-targeted advertising today. The World Privacy Forum will be holding a press conference responding to the principles at 12:30 p.m. Eastern.
Biometrics and ID — The California DMV (Division of Motor Vehicles) has proposed, through an expedited 30- day process, that it begin taking detailed facial scans of drivers and storing the scans in a state-wide database. This change, among other proposed DMV changes, represents a substantial policy shift for the state of California. The World Privacy Forum has urged that this process goes through normal legislative procedures so that there is adequate time for public input and for formal hearings.
International Privacy Day — The World Privacy Forum celebrated International Privacy Day by joining other privacy and civil liberties organizations in encouraging the U.S. Senate to adopt the Council of Europe Privacy Convention. The U.S. has already ratified the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime. International Privacy Day was founded three years ago by the Council of Europe, and is celebrated by privacy, civil liberties, and consumer groups in Europe, North America and elsewhere.