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Robot Interviews: AI and the world of work

AI will alter the world of work, both in workplaces and in workplace information ecosystems. Labor experts have a term for negotiating the near and long-term effects of AI: “A fair and just transition.” These and other experts have already begun documenting the emerging changes in the workplace resulting from AI deployments. Some consequences are positive, some are deleterious. No one has a crystal ball with a perfect view of what the future may hold. That's why a key focus now for those interested in AI and the world of work is to research and benchmark what is happening.

Digital Identity Ecosystems

Identity is a data-rich key that acts to unlock all levels of the emerging digital ecosystem. All forms of ID carry some risk, but digital forms of ID, or “dematerialized ID,” cuts across all sectors and generates particularly copious data about people, their behaviors, financial status, associates, and potentially even political and religious views. Over time, distinct patterns emerge from the data and have in the past created new kinds of risks for individuals and groups.....

WPF responds to HHS and urges it to keep privacy protections in HIPAA strong

WPF has written to the US Department of Health and Human Services advising them on their Request for Information (RFI) about possible changes to HIPAA privacy and security protections. The RFI has a number of suggestions that, should they become part of a formal proposal, would significantly weaken HIPAA privacy protections.

2019 updates to Interactive Medical Data Breach Map

We have updated our medical data breach map to bring it current to January 2019. This interactive map displays the location of each medical data breach recorded at the US Department of Health and Human Services from 2009-2018. To get the most from the map, you can view breaches by year, by region, and in a simple text list. 

Health Industry Cybersecurity Practices: New consensus practices and tools from HHS

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has produced a set of cybersecurity resources for healthcare provider organizations from small to large. So far, HHS has published four documents: an overview report of cybersecurity issues and practices, two technical volumes, and a toolkit. The documents focus on what an expert multistakeholder consensus group determined to be the five most prevalent cybersecurity threats and the ten core cybersecurity practices. The practices are voluntary, and utilize the NIST cybersecurity framework. The documentation is based in reality, not conjecture, and the documents are not intended to sell any particular products for any particular vendor. This has allowed for a rich and helpful documentation of current challenges along with solutions. See our overview of the four new resources.

WPF events and activities Jan. & Feb. 2019

Highlights of WPF events in January and February, 2019. January: CES 2019 WPF will be participating in the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2019 Jan. 8-11, 2019. CES is the largest electronics show in the world and serves as advance notice for emerging technologies and privacy trends. WPF’s schedule at CES ...

WPF advises FTC regarding privacy frameworks and knowledge governance; files key comments

The World Privacy Forum has submitted a set of key comments to the US Federal Trade Commission regarding privacy frameworks and governance. The comments introduce the idea of knowledge governance and propose frameworks that will work to solve the serious privacy challenges we face in complex data ecosystems.

Marriott data breach: key tips

The Marriott data breach announced on Nov. 30, 2018 is a significant breach, reaching across multiple countries and affecting an estimated 500 million people. The breach includes an array of data that does create the potential for meaningful identity theft risk. Who does the breach affect? The breach affected guests ...

WPF comments to NTIA re: privacy governance frameworks

In response to the NTIA's request for information regarding its proposed privacy framework, the World Privacy Forum submitted detailed comments to the agency regarding modern privacy governance. At the core of WPF's comments is the belief that privacy is in a critical moment of transition. The comments state there needs to be a "broadened approach to privacy and data that is collaborative, fair, and acknowledges the challenges of highly complex data environments."

ED Pam Dixon calls for a Nuremberg Code of digital ethics, addresses 40th international conference of data protection and privacy commissioners

Speaking to an audience of global Data Protection Authorities in the capstone session of the 40th International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners, WPF Executive Director Pam Dixon discussed the central importance that data should be used for a public good, and must above all, should not create harm. ...

World Privacy Forum statement on federal privacy regulation & data brokers

The current debate over federal privacy regulation must be inclusive of secondary and tertiary uses of consumer data. WPF Executive Director Pam Dixon says: "Through our longstanding work regarding data brokers and related harms to consumers, it is abundantly clear that if Congress enacts privacy legislation that fails to effectively regulate data brokers and stop the consumer harms they directly cause, any legislation enacted will be a failure."

India’s Supreme Court delivers long-awaited Aadhaar decision

India’s Supreme Court has released its consequential decision in the Aadhaar case. We will be writing much more about this consequential decision in the days and years to come. The decision is more than 1,400 pages long and contains an historically important dissent. Read the full text of the decision: ...

WPF calls on Secretary of Homeland Security to provide formal notice and comment and address substantive concerns regarding the CBP biometric entry and exit program

The World Privacy Forum sent a detailed letter (PDF, 18 pages) September 18, 2018 to the Secretary of Homeland security outlining our substantive concerns regarding the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) biometric [1]entry and exit program. The World Privacy ...

Voting system data breach notifications - National Academies of Science recommendations for securing voting systems

The National Academies of Science have released Securing the Vote: Protecting American Democracy . The consensus report richly documents how, during the 2016 presidential election, actors sponsored by the Russian government attacked the US voting and election infrastructure. The report assesses the web of technology infrastructures related to voting, and ...

WPF to speak about AI governance at Brussels multi-stakeholder forum with FTC Commissioner Rohit Chopra and EDPS

WPF's Pam Dixon will be speaking about AI and governance at the Trans Atlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD) Annual Multi-stakeholder Forum June 19 in Brussels, Belgium. The panel discussion on AI will include FTC Commissioner Rohit Chopra, as well as Achim Klabunde from the European Data Protection Supervisor's Office. WPF is ...