14 DAY TRIAL // Online privacy is increasingly becoming a hot topic as people spend more time online and services become more complex and targeted. With the international Data Protection Day last week, the topic was understandably the focus of several companies, Google included, but also of government organizations. The EU is working on new laws to regulate the digital landscape with regards to privacy which will likely enforce better privacy protection policies in several key areas, particularly online.
Vivian Reding, EC Commissioner for Information Society and Media Privacy, spoke on Data Protection Day in the European Parliament about the main challenges to privacy today. She identified four areas which require the most attention, two of which had to do with the Internet. Social networking is a main cause of concern. These sites hold a great amount of private information, certainly more than any type of sites before, and there is a need to make sure that the information is used responsibly.
The commissioner believes that especially children aren't aware of the risks exposing your information online poses. As such the EC has already talked with the major social networks in Europe which have agreed to take tougher measures to protect their privacy. One key aspect is that all profile data for those under 18 should be private by default and also not searchable. She lists Facebook, MySpace or Twitter as popular services and said that a number of social networks had already agreed with the provisions, though it isn't clear if the three are among them.
The second issue was with behavioral advertising which, despite not working as well as expected in some cases, are becoming more popular. The commissioner believes strongly that "without the prior informed consent of citizens their data cannot be used."
"Businesses must use their power of innovation to improve the protection of privacy and personal data from the very beginning of the development cycle. Privacy by Design is a principle that is in the interest of both citizens and businesses. Privacy by Design will lead to better protection for individuals, as well as to trust and confidence in new services and products that will in turn have a positive impact on the economy. I have seen some encouraging examples, but much more needs to be done," Reding said in the speech.