Media Alliance joined the Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press and 15 other media organizations in filing an amici brief in Sacramento Superior Court in support of Pamela Lopez.
Continue reading Time’s Up: Amici Brief in Dababneh vs LopezAll posts by Midnightschildren
California AG submits New Privacy Rules at Deadline
Originally published in Communications Daily on June 3
“No changes from the last draft is good and bad, emailed Media Alliance Executive Director Tracy Rosenberg. Privacy advocates are glad the AG rejected many business requests that would have weakened CCPA but “disappointed that a few changes we recommended were not incorporated, including to accept browser do-not-track requests as opt outs.”
Continue reading California AG submits New Privacy Rules at DeadlineCoronavirus Sparks New Fight Over Privacy Law
By Dustin Gardiner originally printed in San Francisco Chronicle
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra’s office is gearing up to enforce the state’s landmark internet privacy law, despite pleas from business groups that say they aren’t ready because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The California Consumer Privacy Act gives people the power to tell companies not to sell their personal data and to demand they delete the information altogether. The law took effect Jan. 1, but enforcement was delayed until July 1 to give businesses time to prepare for a mountain of data requests from their customers.
Continue reading Coronavirus Sparks New Fight Over Privacy Law
218 Groups Demand Affordable Broadband in Stimulus
218 groups, including industry, local governments, and human rights nonprofits, have written to Congress to insist that access to affordable broadband must be a part of upcoming stimulus packages.
The letter states:
Broadband enables people to work remotely, access medical care, and apply for governmental benefits. As all levels of education transition to online for the forseeable future, reliable Internet access is necessary for students to be successful. Like food, water and electricity, everyone needs broadband during this unprecedented crisis.
Continue reading 218 Groups Demand Affordable Broadband in Stimulus
67 Social Justice Groups Demand Free Phone Calls From Prison
67 social justice groups, including Media Alliance, demanded that the FCC require the provision of free telephone calls from jails and prisons during the COVID-19 public health crisis. The groups pointed to the FCC’s Connect America pledge and asked why the prison telephone companies were not asked to help “keep America connected” during the crisis.
The letter states:
Incarcerated people are not able to socially distance while inside, and therefore are most vulnerable to contracting COVID-19. Moreover, in conditions where communications are limited, unjust practices may occur because incarcerated people are unable to communicate about dangerous crowding or lack of access to medical care. Adequate communications are a matter of civil rights and public health.
Continue reading 67 Social Justice Groups Demand Free Phone Calls From Prison
Why Data Minimization Is The Privacy Principle We Need Now
Also published in the LA Progressive
We’ve written a lot about the adoption and implementation of CCPA, California’s state privacy law. We’ve told you about industry’s attempt to water the law down and the successful fight of privacy advocates to keep that from happening. We’ve told you about the loopholes that remain in this game-changing law.
Now, the novel coronavirus is raising the stakes once again. Sorely needed contact tracing is a service big tech is rushing to provide, and privacy protections are a seeming inconvenience.
But long after the spread of COVID-19 is contained, the data trove collected of our movements and associations will remain as an asset of great value to the companies, and a threat to our control over our personal information.
Continue reading Why Data Minimization Is The Privacy Principle We Need Now
Access Now Recommendations on Privacy In The Age of COVID-19
We’re highlighting this report from Access Now (lead author Estelle Masse) because it is one of the best summaries we have seen for how society can use data to fight COVID-19 without dumping privacy protections overboard.
Chock full of case studies (the good and the bad) and sensible recommendations.
Please read, share and pass it on.
Continue reading Access Now Recommendations on Privacy In The Age of COVID-19Privacy Advocates Stay on CA AG to Tighten CCPA Rules
Privacy advocates, including Media Alliance, commented on the second iteration of operational rules for the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, which the AG hopes to begin enforcing on July 1, 2020.
The statewide coalition of privacy groups asked the AG not to back down on the start of the enforcement period, as some industry groups have asked, to require more transparency from data brokers, to enforce do not track software as equivalent to a filed opt-in request and to prevent service providers from forming comprehensive customer profiles.
Continue reading Privacy Advocates Stay on CA AG to Tighten CCPA Rules