 � Federal Trade Commissioner Julie Brill today called upon the nation's data brokers to give consumers access to information the brokers hold about them. Speaking at an event sponsored by the National Cyber Security Alliance, Commissioner Brill said:
"I have long been concerned about data that are used in place of traditional credit reports to make predictions that become a part of the basis for making determinations regarding a consumer's credit, his or her ability to secure housing, gainful employment or various types of insurance. I am calling on data brokers to take the transparency principle and put it into practice; develop a user friendly one-stop shop where consumers can gain access to information that data brokers have amassed about them; and, in appropriate circumstances, give them the ability to correct that information."
According to published reports following the speech, data providers responded by calling the proposal unworkable, saying it would actually require consumers to provide additional information in order to verify their identities.
Separately, a US Department of Commerce spokesman said the department's final report concerning consumer online privacy may be released in a few weeks.
In other developments, eight members of Congress have written Google CEO Larry Page asking about the firm's reported plans to follow users' activities across several of the company's sites, including its search engine and Youtube. In addition, Representative Ed Markey (D-MA) has asked the Federal Trade Commission to determine whether Google has broken promises it made as part of a settlement it made with the FTC after it was accused of misusing Gmail contact information.
Although privacy legislation appears to have stalled, these developments may spur Congress to act.
Keeping the profession informed, Jimmie Mesis, LPI NCISS Legislative Chairman
NCISS 7501 Sparrows Point Boulevard Baltimore, Maryland 21219-1927 T-(800) 445-8408 F-(410) 388-9746 jim@nciss.org (Permission granted to repost this message) |
