Data Ethics

Apr 23 2019

Still a One-Way Mirror Society – why has progress in retail biometrics and privacy stalled?

Today WPF was quoted in an AP article about cameras that detect age, gender, and emotion being installed in retail stores, Coming to You: Cameras that guess your age and sex. For us, this was deja vu. In 2010, we published a report about cameras in retail settings called The One Way Mirror Society. In

Feb 04 2019

Digital Identity Ecosystems

Identity is a data-rich key that acts to unlock all levels of the emerging digital ecosystem. All forms of ID carry some risk, but digital forms of ID, or “dematerialized ID,” cuts across all sectors and generates particularly copious data about people, their behaviors, financial status, associates, and potentially even political and religious views. Over time, distinct patterns emerge from the data and have in the past created new kinds of risks for individuals and groups…..

Dec 29 2018

WPF advises FTC regarding privacy frameworks and knowledge governance; files key comments

The World Privacy Forum has submitted a set of key comments to the US Federal Trade Commission regarding privacy frameworks and governance. The comments introduce the idea of knowledge governance and propose frameworks that will work to solve the serious privacy challenges we face in complex data ecosystems.

Dec 19 2018

WPF Statement on NYT revelations of Facebook data practices

WPF is issuing this statement in response to the New York Times article dated 18 December, 2018 regarding Facebook’s data practices. The article provides meaningful new information about the data management and privacy practices of Facebook.

Oct 25 2018

ED Pam Dixon calls for a Nuremberg Code of digital ethics, addresses 40th international conference of data protection and privacy commissioners

Speaking to an audience of global Data Protection Authorities in the capstone session of the 40th International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners, WPF Executive Director Pam Dixon discussed the central importance that data should be used for a public good, and must above all, should not create harm. Referencing her extensive peer-reviewed research

National IDs Around the World — Interactive map

About this Data Visualization: This interactive map displays the presence...
Report: From the Filing Cabinet to the Cloud: Updating the Privacy Act of 1974

This comprehensive report and proposed bill text is focused on the Privacy Act of 1974, an important and early Federal privacy law that applies to the government sector and some contractors. The Privacy Act was written for the 1970s information era -- an era that was characterized by the use of mainframe computers and filing cabinets. Today's digital information era looks much different than the '70s: smart phones are smarter than the old mainframes, and documents are now routinely digitized and stored and perhaps even analyzed in the cloud, among many other changes. The report focuses on why the Privacy Act needs an update that will bring it into this century, and how that could look and work. This work was written by Robert Gellman, and informed by a two-year multi-stakeholder process.
COVID-19 and HIPAA: HHS’s Troubled Approach to Waiving Privacy and Security Rules for the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic strained the U.S. health ecosystem in numerous ways, including putting pressure on the HIPAA privacy and security rules. The Department of Health and Human Services adjusted the privacy and security rules for the pandemic through the use of statutory and administrative HIPAA waivers. While some of the adjustments are appropriate for the emergency circumstances, there are also some meaningful and potentially unwelcome privacy and security consequences. At an appropriate time, the use of HIPAA waivers as a response to health care emergencies needs a thorough review. This report sets out the facts, identifies the issues, and proposes a roadmap for change.