Category Archives: USA

Microsoft, Google, Apple, Amazon and RIM sign privacy accord

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In step with President Obama, the California Attorney General reaches signed agreement on consumer privacy

California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris signs accord with major IT companies (photo Government of California)

Within hours of President Obama’s announcement of the Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights, the State Attorney General of California, Kamala D. Harris, announced an accord to protect consumers’ privacy. (Related: Internet Privacy Gets White House Attention)

Signing on the accord negotiated with the Federal Department of Justice were Microsoft, Google, Apple, Amazon, RIM and HP. The agreement also includes major mobile service providers and is global in scope.

“Attorney General Harris forged the agreement with six companies whose platforms comprise the majority of the mobile apps market: Amazon, Apple, Google, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and Research In Motion,” said the press release from Harris’ office. “These platforms have agreed to privacy principles designed to bring the industry in line with a California law requiring mobile apps that collect personal information to have a privacy policy. The majority of mobile apps sold today do not contain a privacy policy.”  Continue reading →

Internet Privacy Gets White House Attention

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President Obama to announce new regulations to control online use of personal privacy

President Barack Obama (White House photo)

The White House will announce today new sweeping regulations and seek Congressional approval of statutory authorities over the online privacy of consumers.
A paper was issued today signaling the President’s intentions entitled Consumer Data Privacy in a Networked World: A Framework for Protecting Privacy and Promoting Innovation in a Global Digital Economy.

The recent scandals among computer giants like Apple, Google and Facebook have the concern of the President and he intends to move both to carry out new regulations with the Department of Commerce and propose new laws in Congress. Continue reading →

Apple harvesting privacy data promises to stop with update

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Inquiry by US Congress forces Apple to admit it has been stealthily harvesting iPhone users private date


ComputerWorld – US Congressmen Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.) sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook asking him about iOS apps that have harvested users’ address book information without permission.

Shortly after two U.S. Congressmen asked Apple to answer questions about iPhone and iPad apps that snatch users’ contact lists without permission, the Cupertino, Calif. company promised it will address the issue with a future software update.  Continue reading →