Unofficial Post: Online Data Collection is Coming to Attention...Again

It appears that someone in the White House has finally taken an interest in the privacy of it's online citizens.

Who: John D. Podesta
What: A recently-released report that "recommends requiring private companies to disclose the kind of information they gather from their customers online" (NY Times).

In other words, someone has noticed that companies are using the data they receive from customers logging in (and clicking those pesky Terms of Use without reading them). Like, really using it. These techniques, "mosaic techniques," allow companies to pretend like they're collecting anonymous data from large groups of users, when they're really finding out what you're doing online. So they can send you ads for bras when you went online bra-shopping that one time.

Or maybe you found an app on Facebook that lets you fight dragons and stuff. Well now they know you like that stuff; expect to see RPG/MMO images cluttering the margins of your internet browser.

Mr. Podesta asks a really good question, "Does the Terms of Use process still allow us to control and protect our privacy as the data is used and reused?" Well, John, you may be onto something.

And companies don't like it. After all, we expend so much data, cutting off or restricting this supply to companies might seriously damage their sales. Oh dear, what a shame.

The report recommends extending American privacy rights to foreigners, and "notes the risk of dat being used to discriminate against some Americans in new ways that are otherwise prohibited by civil and consumer rights legislation".

Yikes! It seems like people are catching on to the idea that online tech. available these day is just another tool-- and tools have always been used to promote the status quo.

But wait, there's more. It appears that the "sensible" guidelines of 2012, which were administration recommendations regarding online privacy. They were shot down:

"The task of translating concepts like transparency and accountability into legislation seemed complex and time-consuming, and were opposed by business groups. Few members of Congress showed interest."

Great, so business owners (probably Disney, dangit!!) didn't like the idea of restricting their access to our information, and IGNORED THE ISSUE. Wow. This is such a good example of showing who really has our best interest in mind (or not!).

Hopefully, this time around will be more successful. I'm not sure what it will take for Podesta's recommendations to become more than that, but I hope it happens, and soon.