March 26, 2012 San Diego, California — The World Privacy Forum strongly supports the idea of a centralized opt-out site for data brokers. “A centralized data broker opt out would ideally function like a Do Not Call list for consumers,” said Pam Dixon. “The idea is that consumers can readily find the data brokers, and

Data Broker opt out — WPF, in 2011 comments to the FTC, urged the FTC to create a centralized place for consumers to opt-out of data broker tracking. This is a long-standing issue WPF has worked on. Previously, WPF filed a petition in 2009 to the FTC regarding mail-in data broker opt outs, which resulted in an FTC action and improvements for consumers. In its new report published today, the FTC has picked up WPF’s centralized opt out recommendation, specifically citing WPF’s comments. From its report: “The Commission recommends that the data broker industry explore the idea of creating a centralized website where data brokers that compile and sell data for marketing could identify themselves to consumers and describe how they collect consumer data and disclose the types of companies to which they sell the information.” The WPF strongly supports this idea and views assistance to consumers in this area as vital.

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.

Following WPF on Facebook — WPF maintains an active Facebook page, and it features slightly different content than our home website. For Facebook, we make regular newsfeed postings about WPF activities and also post content for people who want to follow privacy via their Facebook newsfeeds. This past week, stories we’ve posted include a report on the economics of privacy, the new Pew study on privacy, a privacy-related human interest story, and news about the VZBW lawsuit in Germany against Facebook. It’s not the only way to keep up with WPF, but if you are on Facebook a lot, it is a good way. Our page is located

On Feb. 23, 2012, nine signatory organizations published a MultiStakeholder Principles designed to guide the NTIA MultiStakeholder Process, a self-regulatory process to develop voluntary codes of conduct with industry and civil society. The document states: “The US Department of Commerce is proposing a multi-stakeholder process for developing better applications of privacy principles. For the multi-stakeholder process to succeed, it must be representative of all stakeholders and must operate under procedures that are fair, transparent, and credible. We believe the following baseline principles will provide the multi-stakeholder process the legitimacy it needs to succeed.”