Welcome to our Legal News Archives section. Here you will find
links to additional information and up to date news and editorial
articles about regarding-line privacy. This section is a supplement
to our other sections which have lots of great information about
privacy, legal rights, and unethical advertising practices.
We hope that you will enjoy checking out the remainder of our
site to find out how more information about scammers and advertisers
are collecting data on consumers and stealing web traffic and
how web site owners can protect themselves. Since many legal
cases take months or years to complete the stories are picked
up and continued in other months as the case develops and progresses.
(Update: Newsbytes.com has been taken over by the Washington
Post Company. The links to articles that were in the Newsbytes
archives are no longer active. Many of the articles are still
available on line through other news sources. Please feel free
to search google for additional links to articles originally
appearing on Newsbytes.
December 2000
Medical records vulnerable to ID theft
The recent revelation that a hacker broke into the University
of Washington Medical Center and downloaded confidential information
on thousands of patients rang alarm bells with privacy advocates.
They worry about how the revelation of intimate medical s
(12/12/2000)
November 2000
Privacy Advocates Carefully Watch Dot-Com Failures
Recent bankruptcies of numerous Internet companies have raised
the eyebrows of privacy advocates and the Federal Trade Commission,
who fear the failed businesses will sell customer data that
the companies promised to keep confidential. According to
the FTC, if an Internet business promised not to sell, trade,
or rent personal customer information, it must abide by that
policy even if it goes out of business. "We only have
the authority to bring a suit if the privacy policy says how
the information is going to be shared and those promises are
not honored," said Dana Rosenfeld, an FTC assistant director.
However, there is not yet any legal precedent that says the
FTC can enforce the privacy policy of a failed dot-com. "There
has not been a definitive interpretation that privacy policies
count as enforceable contracts," said Jay Hollander,
a principal at Hollander and Co., a Manhattan law firm. Indeed,
in the one customer-data suit brought by the FTC -- against
defunct toy retailer Toysmart -- a federal bankruptcy judge
rejected the settlement because it would unfairly hamper Toysmart's
ability to sell its assets. For privacy advocates, the Toysmart
ruling is evidence that tougher privacy laws are needed. According
to Jason Catlett, president of privacy watchdog Junkbusters,
"Even a company with the best intentions can go bankrupt,
and then all assurances of privacy sink to the bottom of the
ocean. It points out the need for a privacy law that says
the acquirer has to protect purchased data." However,
some believe laws are not the answer, and the sale of data
by Internet companies is no different than similar sales by
offline companies that file for bankruptcy. Derek Scruggs
of Message Media, which advises companies on the responsible
use of customer data, said that the Toysmart decision showed
that bankrupt Internet companies should not be treated differently
from other bankrupt companies. The debate will likely continue
in Congress, where several privacy bills that were not acted
upon this year are expected to be reintroduced in 2001.
Source: "As Dot-Coms Die, Privacy Advocates Eye Customer
Data," Tom Perrotta, Internet World News, 11/9/00.
http://www.internetworld.com/rn_bot.asp
October 2000
Analysis: Who cares about Amazon.com's privacy policy?
October 2, 2000
Web posted at: 10:17 a.m. EDT (1417 GMT)
by Glenn McDonald
(IDG) -- Privacy is a big concern among Netizens, right? When
Amazon.com changed its privacy policy, saying it may well
reveal your book-buying habits (and other information), consumer
advocacy groups howled. Amazon.com recoiled, defended itself,
and then ... resumed business as usual.
http://www.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/
Net Privacy Bill Called 'Trojan Horse'
The legislation began as an effort to protect people like
Amy Boyer, a New Hampshire woman who was slain by a man who
tracked her down after buying her Social Security number on
the Internet. In May, Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., proposed a
law to sharply li (10/25/2000)
ID Theft Measure Added To Pending Legislation
Legislation aimed at preventing Internet-enabled identity
theft by banning the sale of social security numbers has found
its way onto one of the mammoth appropriations bills currently
pending before Congress. High-ranking Senator Judd Gregg,
R-N.H., i (10/16/2000)
Clinton, Lawmakers Oppose ID Theft Language
President Clinton has vowed to veto a mammoth appropriations
bill working its way through Congress, unless lawmakers remove
controversial language ostensibly aimed at stemming Internet-enabled
identity theft. The language, proposed as an amendment to
(10/26/2000)
Sen. Edwards Intro's 'Spyware Control Act'
Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., introduced legislation on Friday
that would force software manufacturers to notify consumers
when their products include "spyware," bits of code
that surreptitiously transmit information about the users
Web surfing ha (10/09/2000)
September 2000
More.com Is a Big Mouth, Missouri Says
By Keith Perine
Issue Date: Sep 15 2000
The state attorney general sues the Net retailer for allegedly
sharing customer data.
WASHINGTON - Missouri's attorney general filed a lawsuit Wednesday
against Internet retailer More.com, saying that the San Francisco-based
Internet retailer violated its privacy policy by sharing customer
data with a third party.
http://www.thestandard.com/article/display/
Amazon May spell end for "dynamic" pricing
09/29/00
Amazon.com was forced to apologize and issue refunds to angry
consumers for charging customers higher prices for the same
DVDs. Amazon has been accused of varying prices based on customer
profiling, however Amazon denies these allegations.
http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/cti595.htm
Online Prices Not Created Equal
by Craig Bicknell
Sep. 7, 2000 PDT
Amazon.com acknowledged that it's been presenting different
prices to different customers in its DVD store, but denied
that it does so on the basis of any past purchasing behavior
at Amazon.
www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,38622,00.html
Glitch at Amazon.com exposes e-mail addresses
September 8, 2000
Web posted at: 21:21 HKT (2121 GMT)
by Linda Rosencrance
(IDG) -- An apparent glitch in Amazon.com's computer system
has released the e-mail addresses of some of Amazon's customers
to another customer who participates in the company's Associates
Program. Although English notified Amazon.com about the problem
on Aug. 31 -- he provided Computerworld with an Aug. 31 reply
e-mail from Amazon.com saying the company was investigating
the matter -- he said he was still able to access other users'
e-mail addresses today. (a week later)
http://asia.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/
Privacy Groups Chide Amazon.com
EPIC and Junkbusters both cut ties to online bookseller over
customer privacy concerns.
Margret Johnston, IDG News Service
Wednesday, September 13, 2000
The Electronic Privacy Information Center has ended its relationship
with Amazon.com over the online retailer's decision to alter
its privacy policy. EPIC will immediately end its ties with
Amazon.com and find a new way to distribute EPIC books and
other materials on privacy, free speech, and related topics,
according to an EPIC statement released Wednesday.
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/
House Committee OKs Social Security Number
Protections
The House Ways and Means Committee today unanimously approved
legislation that would make it a crime for governments or
businesses to buy or sell Social Security numbers. The bill,
H.R. 4857, the "Social Security Number Privacy and Identity
Theft P (09/28/2000)
Regulators Examine Threat To Privacy
In Bankruptcy Filings
Federal regulators are considering steps that could make it
easier for consumers to protect information stored in personal
and commercial bankruptcy filings. Several federal agencies,
including the Justice Department, the Department of the Treasury,
(09/29/2000)
August 2000
E-commerce gets serious about privacy
Do visitors need a magnifying glass to read the privacy policy
statement on your Web site? If so, it may be a sign that your
company needs a CPO -- chief privacy officer.
Lisa Kosan - eWEEK August 13, 2000
www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/
FTC To Hold Workshop for Victims of Identity
Theft
The Federal Trade Commission FTC announced today it would
hold a two-day workshop on finding new ways to help victims
of identity theft, a crime that affects an estimated 400,000
Americans each year. The workshops, to be held October 23
and 24, 2000, wi (08/16/2000)
July 2000
TIME EUROPE
July 31, 2000, Vol. 156 No. 5
Spies Among Us
More than 20 million people have downloaded programs that
secretly snoop inside their PCs. Are you one of them? O.K.,
maybe it does sound a little paranoid. But last year over
the Christmas holidays, Richard Smith, a Brookline, Mass.,
software entrepreneur and freelance computer investigator,
became convinced his computer was spying on him. It began
after Smith had downloaded onto his laptop a nifty program
he found called zBubbles, which is supposed to help people
shop online. A product of Amazon subsidiary Alexa, zBubbles
does some helpful things. When you're surfing e-commerce websites,
it pops up and offers recommendations about products. And
just like a good shopping pal, it even gives you comparative
shopping advice about where you may be able to get a specific
item cheaper.
By ADAM COHEN
http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/
Senators Agree to Concessions In Identity
Theft Bill
A pair of senators sponsoring legislation to crack down on
identity fraud by prohibiting the sale of Social Security
numbers agreed to consider exceptions in the bill that would
allow providers of individual reference services to continue
selling informa (07/12/2000)
Your PC Is Watching
Keith Little, a computer technician who makes house calls
on the apple farms of central Washington state, says more
and more of his clients are asking him to take steps to protect
their online privacy. So he scans their computers for any
mischievous p (07/14/2000)
PayPal Scam
by Michelle Dennehy
July 21, 2000, 3 p.m. PT
http://www.auctionwatch.com/awdaily/dailynews/
June 2000
FTC backs out of Web privacy debate
By Reshma Kapadia Reuters June 13, 2000 4:05 PM PT. ...
www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/
FTC, Online Ad Firms Haggle Over Privacy
By Keith Perine
Issue Date: Jun 12 2000
The ad-server companies hope to hammer out a set of standards
with the government in lieu of new laws.
In the wake of last month's Federal Trade Commission recommendation
that Congress pass basic online privacy laws, a group of Internet
ad-server companies is continuing to hold secret talks with
the FTC and the Commerce Department about a set of self-imposed
privacy standards for the online-advertising industry in lieu
of new privacy legislation.
http://www.thestandard.com/article/display/
Internet Identity Theft: Watch Out! - SIIA
The Software amp; Information Industry Association SIIA has
posted a white paper which supplies an analysis of Internet
identity theft from consumer, Web site operator, and public
policy perspectives. The organization said the paper, titled
"Interne (06/16/2000)
Gore Targets ID Theft, Talks E-Bill Of Rights
Vice President Gore Thursday proposed making it a federal
crime to buy or sell Social Security numbers, the latest in
a series of initiatives that he has begun promoting in his
presidential campaign to address growing American anxiety
about invasions of (06/09/2000)
May 2000
FTC to recommend stronger privacy legislation to
Congress
By Gwendolyn Mariano
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
May 22, 2000, 8:15 PM PT
Opening a political can of worms, the Federal Trade Commission
today said it would embark on a major policy shift, asking
Congress to enact stronger legislation to oversee online privacy.
On Friday, the commission voted 3-2 to release a report concluding
that "legislation is necessary" to ensure Internet
privacy protections and that "industry alone have not
been sufficient." That position is in marked contrast
to the agency's prior stance, endorsed by the Clinton administration,
of allowing corporate self-regulation on privacy.
http://news.com.com/2100-1023-240919.html
MP3 player "sale" exposes Amazon's flexible
prices
By Troy Wolverton
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
May 17, 2000, 1:25 PM PT
Customers are upset that Amazon.com has been offering random
discounts on a popular MP3 player, revealing a little-known
marketing practice that is gaining popularity among e-tailers.
Known as "dynamic pricing," the practice was revealed
recently when customers comparing prices on a bargain hunter
message board discovered that Amazon was randomly offering
the Diamond Rio MP3 player for up to $51 less than the usual
$233.95 price.
http://news.com.com/2100-1017-240700.html
Despite legal problems, Amazon stands by e-commerce
deals
By Paul Festa
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
May 2, 2000, 2:30 PM PT
In the year since its acquisition by Amazon.com, Alexa Internet
has brought its new owner privacy lawsuits, a federal probe
and other legal headaches. But Amazon shows no signs of buyer's
remorse.
http://news.com.com/2100-1017-239997.html
Internet Fueling Boost In Fraud Identity
Theft
The Internet is fast becoming the primary tool used by perpetrators
of identity and bank fraud - and by individuals who would
rather not have their names connected to past misdeeds - to
commit crimes using another persons good name and credit,
law enforc (05/19/2000)
FTC Access Security Committee Issues Report
The Federal Trade Commission FTC released a report on Monday
outlining a broad range of policies that Web sites could one
day adopt to give consumers access to the data collected about
them online. The report is the product of five months of careful
d (05/16/2000)
April 2000
March 2000
Fraud In E-Commerce - How To Fight It
The Internet Fraud Council IFC today unveiled plans for a
worldwide road show to highlight the impact of fraud on e-commerce
and how to avoid it. The group, which is part of the National
Coalition for the Prevention of Economic Crime, kicks off
its seri (03/23/2000)
Internet Makes 'Identity Theft' Easier -
Study
The Internet is a double-edged sword in the hands of perpetrators
whose specialty is "identity theft," says a recently
released report from a private anti-fraud company. The report,
by National Fraud Center Inc. NFC of Horsham, Penn., said
th (03/17/2000)
Sen. Gregg To Address Net Predators, SSN
Theft
Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., said he will try to pass legislation
that would make selling Social Security numbers SSN without
the holders consent a criminal offense. Gregg next Tuesday,
Mar. 28, also plans to hold a hearing on SSN theft and Internet
predator (03/23/2000)
New York Proposes New Privacy Laws
The New York State Senate has reportedly introduced a package
of new legislation aimed at controversial issues surrounding
the collection and use of consumer information by Internet
companies. A Reuters report today said the proposals follow
allegations (03/09/2000)
February 2000
Michigan initiates DoubleClick inquiry - Tech News - CNET.
...
... Michigan initiates DoubleClick inquiry By Patricia Jacobus
Staff Writer, CNET
News.com February 17, 2000, 2:40 pm PT ... Bloomberg (11/10/99).
...
Trouble for DoubleClick gained momentum today as Michigan's
attorney general took steps to file a consumer protection
lawsuit blasting the online ad firm's data-collection practices.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-1553030.html
Michigan initiates DoubleClick inquiry
By Patricia Jacobus
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
February 17, 2000, 2:40 PM PT
Trouble for DoubleClick gained momentum today as Michigan's
attorney general took steps to file a consumer protection
lawsuit blasting the online ad firm's data-collection practices.
http://news.com.com/2100-1023-237062.html
Alston & Bird LLP
Electronic Commerce Advisory
February 3, 2000
Internet Companies’ Privacy Policies and Practices Come
Under Fire
http://www.alston.com/docs/Advisories/199709/
A lawsuit against DoubleClick may be just the start
of a backlash
For DoubleClick Inc. (DCLK), a hot Internet advertising company,
things have suddenly gotten a little too warm. On Jan. 27,
Harriet Judnick, a Marin County (Calif.) administrative assistant,
filed a lawsuit against the company alleging violation of
privacy rights and deceptive business practices. It's a case
of the mouse that roared, and it signals how ordinary consumers
are getting wise to the intricate workings of online marketers
and the lack of privacy on the Web.
BUSINESSWEEK ONLINE : FEBRUARY 14, 2000 ISSUE
NEWS: ANALYSIS & COMMENTARY
Privacy: Outrage on the Web
http://www.businessweek.com/2000/00_07/
DoubleClick Accused of Double-Dealing Double-Cross
February 2, 2000
Washington-based watchdog organization the Center for Democracy
and Technology (CDT) has launched a hard-line campaign against
an alleged effort by online advertising service DoubleClick,
Inc. (Nasdaq:DCLK) to track individual identities and actions
online and tie them to offline behavior. According to CDT
Staff Counsel Deirdre Mulligan, "You may have already
been double-crossed by DoubleClick or you may be next in line.
In either case, if you care about your privacy and want to
surf the Web without your every move being recorded in a giant
database connected to your name, its time to opt-out of DoubleClick's
profiling."
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/
Turning 'spies' into 'assistants'
Imagine that you step into a shopping mall and a spy -- lets
call him "Cookie" -- immediately begins tracking
your every move. A "privacy policy" tacked away
on a wall makes note of the spying. But as usual, you are
in too much of a rush (02/01/2000)
January 2000
Chase Agrees To Stop Selling Personal Information
Privacy advocates scored a major victory today, as banking
giant Chase Manhattan Bank agreed to stop selling the personal
information of its 22 million cardholders to third parties.
Chase agreed to the measures as part of a settlement in a
case brought (01/26/2000)
States Can't Sell Drivers' Personal Info
- Supreme
The US Supreme Court today upheld a federal law that prohibits
states from surreptitiously selling citizens personal information
to telemarketers. In a unanimous decision authored by Chief
Justice William Rehnquist, the Court upheld the drivers privacy
(01/12/2000)
State Government Sells Your Private Information
By Mike Krause
Jan. 19, 2000
Last week, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the Driver’s
Protection Act of 1994, a federal law that restricts a state’s
ability to sell driver’s license information. This is
good news for drivers who don't want their home address to
be sold to a stalker. But even after the Supreme Court decision,
personal information about Colorado drivers is available for
sale to business.
http://i2i.org/Publications/Op-Eds/PersonalFreedom/driverdata.htm
Privacy fears raised by DoubleClick database plans
By Courtney Macavinta
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
January 25, 2000, 8:10 PM PT
Having sealed its purchase of a direct marketing company,
DoubleClick has begun signing up sites to create a network
that will tie Web surfers' travels with their personal information
and shopping habits--online and off.
The leading Web advertising company plans to build a database
of consumer profiles that will include each user's "name,
address, retail, catalog and online purchase histories, and
demographic data," according to the company's new privacy
policy. The database, which the company says will only be
seen by DoubleClick, is intended to help members of its budding,
U.S.-based Abacus Alliance perfect their target marketing.
http://news.com.com/2100-1023-236092.html
