Policy Observatory
In a letter to Verizon, Senators on the Commerce Committee challenged the company's practice of placing a "super cookie" on customers' smartphones. The letter follows the recent discovery that the advertising company Turn was secretly tracking Verizon customers, even after customers deleted its cookies. In the letter, the Senators asked Verizon to stop tracking users with undeletable cookies. EPIC has urged the White House and the Federal Trade Commission to limit the use of persistent identifiers. EPIC supports opt-in requirements and Privacy Enhancing Techniques for consumers, and algorithmic transparency for data collectors.
On 9 March 2015, EDRi-member Vrijschrift sent a letter to the Dutch Parliament, highlighting the dangers of investor-state dispute settlement clauses (ISDS) in the trade agreements with Canada (CETA) and Singapore (EUSFTA) that the European Union is currently negotiating.
The institutions of the European Union are completing a reform of Europe’s Data Protection framework. Recognising the huge significance of the reform, the European Commission made an unequivocal promise when it launched the process. As an “absolute red line”, the level of protection of individuals’ data would not fall below existing levels. However, leaks show that this promise is not being kept.
Sixty-six NGOs from the European Union, North, Central and South America, Africa, Asia and Australia have joined forces to ask for a confirmation from European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker that the promise will be respected.
The Chinese government distributed a document to some American tech companies earlier this summer, in which it asked the companies to promise they would not harm China’s national security and would store Chinese user data within the country.
The letter also asks the American companies to ensure their products are “secure and controllable,” a catchphrase that industry groups said could be used to force companies to build so-called back doors — which allow third-party access to systems — provide encryption keys or even hand over source code.
Next week, Beijing has also planned a tech forum in Seattle between China’s Internet czar, Lu Wei, and tech companies including Apple, Facebook, IBM, Google and Uber.
More than 260 other global network and cybersecurity experts responded to the newly proposed FCC rules laid out in ET Docket No. 15-170 for RF Devices such as Wi-Fi routers by unveiling a new approach to improve the security of these devices and ensure a faster, better, and more secure Internet.
The letter was submitted within the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) public comment period on this issue and contained a set of recommendations. For the complete letter and the full list of supporters, please visit here.
In the past year, EDRi made numerous formal requests to get more information about the EU Internet Forum. This Forum was set up by the EU Commission to persuade companies to do “more” to fight terrorism. After months of obstruction from the European Commission, EDRi made a maladministration complaint to the European Ombudsman. As a result, a formal inquiry has been launched.