- From: ashok malhotra <ashok.malhotra@oracle.com>
- Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:20:12 -0800
- To: www-tag@w3.org
Yes. we had some good comments from Jonathan and earlier today a note from Karl Dubost in which he promised to write some further thoghts. So, let's wait a bit -- it would great if Karl followed up and if others weighed in. All the best, Ashok On 1/17/2012 2:06 PM, Noah Mendelsohn wrote: > This is a useful discussion, and I'm inclined to let it run in e-mail awhile. When and if you feel we're ready for telcon discussion, please let me know. Thank you. > > Noah > > On 1/1/2012 11:21 AM, ashok malhotra wrote: >> Some Thoughts on Privacy >> >> The W3C has started a DNT WG. This is good, but it only covers a corner of >> what I >> like to call The War on Personal Privacy. There are several other aspects >> we need >> to consider. >> >> 1. Personal information that people entrust to social networks or other >> websites with the understanding that it is private or has limited >> visibility is leaked to others for profit or due to incompetence. >> >> 2. Folks collecting information about you without your knowledge or >> consent. For example, Google trucks driving by your house and capturing >> your network SSID or cellphones capturing location and other information. >> >> 3. Clickjacking and identifying folks by mouse usage patterns, etc. This >> may be a subcase of the above or perhaps a separate category. >> >> What privacy thieves are after is identity and personal information as well >> as attitudes and preferences for marketing purposes.Studies have shown that >> it is possible to predict a person’s Social Security Number with a fair >> degree of accuracy based on a few pieces of information.Other studies have >> shown that sexual and political preferences can be determined from a >> relatively small amount of behavioral data. >> >> What can be done? >> >> There seems to be little hope that technical solutions can prevent privacy >> theft.Encryption, both in transport and storage, can mitigate the situation >> but does not provide a complete solution.So, what can be done? >> >> Weitzner et. al. argue that the only solution is to hold privacy thieves >> accountable and prosecute if necessary.For this we need stronger >> laws.Europe has stronger privacy laws than America.Is there a policy >> statement we can make here? >> >> Another solution is a social solution.If your social network divulges your >> personal information without your consent, make a big fuss, write a blog, >> make sure the violation is made public and hopefully the practice will >> stop.Should the W3C encourage such social re-activism? >> >> Perhaps the TAG could publish Guidelines for Protecting Your Privacy in the >> age of Web 2.0. >> >> -- >> All the best, Ashok >
Received on Tuesday, 17 January 2012 22:20:12 UTC