News, Press, and Media

Complete 2013 Update to WPF's Landmark Patient's Guide to HIPAA

San Diego, CA -- The World Privacy Forum is very pleased to announce the publication of a major undertaking, the complete update and revision to our landmark Patient's Guide to HIPAA. The new guide reflects the changes in HIPAA that took effect September 23, 2013. The Patient's Guide to HIPAA is a landmark publication because it is the first and to our knowledge -- only complete guide written expressly for patients. It offers a roadmap through the thicket of dense health privacy laws and rules that many patients have questions about. The purpose of this guide is to help patients understand how to make health privacy laws work to protect their privacy. Longtime World Privacy Forum contributor Bob Gellman is primary author of the Guide, including the new version. Begin exploring the update at the HIPAA Guide Home: https://www.worldprivacyforum.org/2013/09/hipaaguidehome/ .

WPF Speaking at Biometrics 2013, London

October 2013 – Pam Dixon is speaking at Biometrics 2013 in London with Dr. Joseph Atick and Dr. Emilio Mordini, Director, Centre for Science, Society and Citizenship, Italy. The topic is Privacy at the Cross Road: A Debate on Frameworks. As biometrics become part of our daily lives, the issue of privacy and the protection of personal identifiable information (PII) such as biometric data is beginning to take centre stage. This debate will review the pressing issues with respect to privacy and the role of the biometrics industry in it. The audience will hear the views of prominent privacy experts that will explain what is at stake and why legal frameworks have been difficult to develop so far, and also from industry experts who will give the market perspective and the industry concern regarding the chilling effect of over-reaching privacy legislation. Delegates will also be invited to play an active role in what promises to be an exciting dialogue on the future of privacy and the role of the biometrics industry in it.

News Release: Updated Top Ten Opt Outs

August 15, 2013 WPF Announces Updated Consumer Opt-Out Resource The World Privacy Forum is delighted to publish a new version of our Top Ten Opt Outs, a highly popular consumer resource online. We have continually published this guide for over xxx years. It has changed over time, as social media ...

Press Statement: WPF supports NTIA Short Form Notice Code of Conduct to Promote Transparency in Mobile App Practices

Statement of the World Privacy Forum Regarding U.S. Department of Commerce NTIA Short Form Notice Code of Conduct to Promote Transparency in Mobile Apps July 25, 2013 -- Washington, D.C. The World Priavcy Forum, after a year of hard work as a leading part of the core drafting group in ...

News Release: WPF Publishes New e-Health Privacy Resources for Consumers

July 15, 2013 New Consumer Tipsheets, FAQ, and Glossary about Health Information Exchanges Patients have a new resource that simplifies the clutter and confusion around Health Information Exchanges. WPF has published a new HIE Tipsheet and FAQ. These resources are written for consumers, and delivers bite-sized, digestible information about the ...

Pam Dixon writes about India's National ID Card in May/June issue of Foreign Policy Magazine

India's national biometric ID card -- In the May/June, 2013 issue of Foreign Policy Magazine, Pam Dixon writes about the privacy issues related to India's national biometric ID card. In the piece, Mission Creep, Dixon discusses how government-issued biometric ID cards that serve as national ID cards and as the basis for employment and financial transactions create profound civil liberties and privacy challenges that are neither easily or well-constrained by government policy.

World Privacy Forum: California, Don’t Weaken Californian’s Health Privacy Laws

July 21, 2012 San Diego, California -- Today the World Privacy Forum filed comments on California's plan to harmonize existing California state law to federal health privacy laws. California's health privacy law, the CMIA, offers Californian's stronger privacy protections than national level health privacy laws. WPF urges California to reconsider its plan to weaken Californian's privacy. Executive director Pam Dixon said "The harmonization plan coming out of California's Department of Health and Human Services is not in harmony with California patients and their health privacy."

Press release: Put the Consumer First and Focus on What is Important

July 11, 2012 San Diego, California -- Today the World Privacy Forum published a comment essay by executive director Pam Dixon urging all privacy stakeholders to focus on the consumer during the Commerce Multistakeholder privacy process, set to get underway tomorrow. "We must put the consumer first and focus on what is important," said Pam Dixon.

WPF files comments with US Department of Commerce; Asks that the full Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights be applied to MS Process

WPF comments on Multi-Stakeholder Process -- WPF filed two sets of comments with the US Department of Commerce regarding the MultiStakeholder Process and the privacy topics to be taken up. The first set of comments were WPF's formal filing of the joint Civil Society MultiStakeholder Principles on behalf of WPF and the American Civil Liberties Union, Center for Digital Democracy, Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of America, Consumers' Union, Consumer Watchdog, Electronic Frontier Foundation, National Consumers' League, Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, and US PIRG. The second set of comments were WPF's own comments to the Department. WPF urged the Department to employ a fair process, choose focused topics, and to apply the full range of the Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights to each topic.

FTC releases report: picks up two key WPF recommendations in report, numerous cites

The FTC's new privacy report -- a long -awaited planbook for privacy in the digital age - has picked up several key recommendations the WPF has made. First, the report picks up WPF's direct recommendation in its 2011 comments that the FTC set up a centralized web site to allow consumers to opt out of data brokers. The FTC has directly called for this as a primary part of its report. The WPF strongly supports this. Pam Dixon of the WPF originated the Do Not Track idea in 2007, and with a group of privacy experts, submitted the original idea to the FTC that year. Now, DNT has also made it into the final FTC report.

WPF testifies at FTC facial recognition hearing

Facial recognition -- Pam Dixon of WPF testified at the FTC's Facial Recognition workshop, speaking on a panel about the policy implications of facial recognition technology. The World Privacy Forum's report on Digital Signage was mentioned several times at the hearing, as were the collaborative consumer protection principles the WPF led.

Interview: Pam Dixon on air

Pam Dixon maintained a long-standing weekly tech segment on ClearChannel for many years. (Monterey Bay, Salinas, Santa Cruz). Many of the discussions revolved around privacy. If you would like links, headlines, and information related to the weekly broadcasts, check or follow Pam Dixon's Facebook page, where updates are posted.

Privacy News: WPF Complaint to FTC Results in Online Data Broker Settlements

Data Broker Settlement -- In April 2009, the World Privacy Forum sent the FTC a complaint regarding a lack of online opt-outs for consumers at some online data broker web sites. Our complaint focused on the difficulties online consumers would have opting out of certain web sites. In our complaint, we noted that online consumers were having difficulties with the opt outs. Today the FTC issued a final decision in this matter, and specifically improved online opt outs for consumers at US Search.

WPF participating at TransAtlantic Consumer Dialogue meeting

TACD -- The World Privacy Forum participated in the Trans Atlantic Consumer Dialogue meetings in Brussels this June, and is pleased to announce that WPF is now a full member of the TACD. The TACD is a network of 80 EU and U.S. consumer organizations that develop joint consumer policy recommendations for the EU and U.S. in an effort to promote the consumer interest in transatlantic policymaking.

World Privacy Forum files comments with the FTC regarding proposed rules for health care-related data breaches

Data Breach of Health Records - FTC -- The World Privacy Forum filed extensive comments with the Federal Trade Commission today regarding its notice of proposed rulemaking for data breaches of information containing actual health care information or health care-related information. The FTC rulemaking will apply to a variety of record holders, especially vendors of personal health records. The Forum supported much of the FTC's proposed rulemaking, finding the rulemaking generally thoughtful and careful. In some areas, the Forum urged the FTC to narrow and further define and strengthen the proposed rule. The World Privacy Forum urged the FTC to tighten language around scope, the definition of "personal health record," law enforcement delays of consumer notification, and urged the FTC to further clarify the definition of what falls under the category of "de-identified data." Citing the research of Dr. LaTanya Sweeney and others, the Forum urged the FTC to require commercial companies and others holding health care data that has been partially de-identified to still report those breaches to the FTC and the public, and to monitor for re-identification.