NTIA: Mobile privacy may be a top priority in new push

The agency asks for public comments as it moves forward with a process to write privacy codes of conduct
  • Grant Gross (IDG News Service)
  • — 01 March, 2012 06:40

Transparency about the personal data that mobile applications collect may be at the top of the agenda as the U.S. Department of Commerce begins work on privacy codes of conduct for online businesses.

The agency's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has identified mobile privacy issues as a potential top priority as it seeks to convene interested groups to draft privacy codes of conduct. Earlier in February, members of U.S. President Barack Obama's administration announced plans to begin working with businesses and other groups to draft privacy codes of conduct and to push Congress to pass legislation containing a privacy bill of rights.

The NTIA on Wednesday asked for public comments on how it should proceed with the so-called multi-stakeholder process to develop privacy codes of conduct.

"We want your input," Lawrence Strickling, the NTIA's administrator, wrote in a blog post. "We are seeking your views on what issues should be addressed through the privacy multi-stakeholder process and how to structure these discussions so they are open, transparent, and most productive."

One of the first steps NTIA is considering is a push to develop transparency rules for mobile apps, the agency said in its public notice.

"Mobile apps are gaining in social and economic importance," the agency said. "Mobile devices pose distinct consumer data privacy issues, such as disclosing relevant information about personal data practices on a small display."

Only about a third of the top 10 paid mobile apps for three major mobile operating systems have privacy policies, the NTIA noted, referencing a Future of Privacy Forum study from December. "Practices surrounding the disclosure of consumer data privacy practices do not appear to have kept pace with these rapid developments in technology and business models," NTIA said.

The agency is also looking for public comments on privacy issues related to location-based mobile services, services targeting children and teens, and cloud computing. NTIA is also seeking comments on how federal agencies can hold companies accountable to privacy promises.

NTIA noted that business participation in the process to develop privacy codes of conduct will be voluntary. "A code of conduct will not be binding on a company unless and until that company affirmatively commits to follow it," the agency said. "NTIA expects that a company's public commitment to follow a code of conduct will be legally enforceable" through the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Grant Gross covers technology and telecom policy in the U.S. government for The IDG News Service. Follow Grant on Twitter at GrantGross. Grant's e-mail address is grant_gross@idg.com.

Tags: Barack Obama, government, internet, Lawrence Strickling, mobile, privacy, Regulation, security, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Federal Trade Commission, U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Comments

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
Users posting comments agree to the CSO comments policy.
Login or register to link comments to your user profile, or you may also post a comment without being logged in.
CSO Corporate Partners
  • FirEye
  • Clear Swift
  • Trend Micro
  • Sophos
  • NetIQ
rhs_login_lockGet exclusive access to CSO, invitation only events, reports & analysis.
CSO Directory

Endpoint Security and Data Protection

Protect your computers and data.

more »

Submit your own security event

Submit your training courses

Security Awareness Tip
Software security company www.clearswift.com gives some advice this holiday season to make sure employees don’t end up on Santa’s naughty list!


At a fundamental business level, social media is a useful additional tool for communicating and collaborating with customers, colleagues and new business prospects. From an HR point of view, the social web is not only useful for recruitment but also as a knowledge network. At an employee level, social media is changing the way we work: Employees increasingly expect to be able to access personal technology and services in the workplace. As the lines between work and home life blur, staff are looking for greater flexibility in their roles; working from home is an increasing trend, but so too is ‘home-ing from work’, where staff expect to be able to perform personal tasks at work.

But social media brings risk and reward to business in equal measure. Information security is a key concern: Many organisations view social media channels as yet another route along which sensitive data can escape from the business, whether accidentally or maliciously. On top of this, senior management may be concerned about the amount of time employees spend on social networks.

This cultural shift raises new questions about trust in the workplace, the balance of power in employer / employee relationship and levels of control over people and content.


Organisations using content and web security technology can manage the way their staff use email and the internet without having to resort to a default position of mistrust. With a whopping third of ANZ employers completely blocking social media access at work, there’s a real danger of throwing the benefits of collaboration out with the risks.


It doesn’t have to be that way.

Trust breeds responsibility: People underestimate the amount of company time they spend on personal browsing. Allow staff to view their own web usage and foster more responsible behaviour without undermining trust.


Know limits: Set clear limits on personal surfing and communicate them to users. Alert them when they are approaching their limit. Help your people to play by the rules.


Share the load: Spread responsibility for usage reporting among managers and department heads so everyone gets to see how their usage impacts on the rest of the organisation. This also gives managers greater control and visibility into usage.


Need to know: Yes, you need reports and visibility. What you don’t need is employee data becoming common knowledge. Access control means reporting can be adjusted on a need-to-know basis.


Security ABC Guides

7 Ways to Protect Your Business Printers

Can a hacker burn down your business by remotely setting one of your printers on fire? Researchers at Columbia University have recently proposed such a scenario, although HP quickly denied that it's possible. However, even if your printers can't be used as remote firestarters, there are many risks involved in networking a printer.

Read More
more »