Congressional Hearing on Employment Verification
The House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing on employment verification. Several hearings have be held by the committee on the proposal to create a mandatory national government employment eligibility system. The current private sector system is voluntary.
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Homeland Security Releases Final REAL ID Rules
The Department of Homeland Security released the long awaited final rule on state issued drivers licenses and identification documents. The rule indicated that the new federal REAL ID will be used for a variety of purposes unrelated to the law that resulted in the federalization of state issued drivers licenses. If states do not comply with the agency rule the drivers’ licenses held by state residents will not be accepted for air travel or to access federal government buildings. As a cost saving measure the Department of Homeland Security decided not to require encryption of the digital data stored on the REAL ID. The Privacy Coalition led a major anti-REAL ID public education campaign. EPIC's page on REAL ID and the ACLU's analysis of the new agency rule..
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House Votes to Halt Digital Strip Searches
The House of Representatives approved by a vote of 310 to 118 a bill that will limit the use of Whole-Body Imaging machines, installed by the Transportation
Security Administration, in US airports. The devices photograph American air travelers stripped naked and could easily be programmed to record images. Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) sponsored the bill that will prohibit the use of the devices as the sole or primary method of screening aircraft passengers; require that passengers be provided information on the operation of such technology and offered a pat-down search in lieu of such screening; and prohibit the storage of an image of a passenger after a boarding determination is made. Privacy Coalition members supported a campaign to raise public awareness about Whole Body Imaging.
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Computers Freedom and Privacy Annual Meeting
The Computers Freedom and Privacy Annual meeting will be held in Washington, DC June 1-4, 2009. This year's meeting is co-chaired by Cindy Southworth with the National Network to End Domestic Violence, and Jay Stanley with the ACLU. This year's theme is Creating the Future.
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TSA Responds to Whole Body Imaging Objections
The Transportation Security Administration has replied to the Privacy Coalition statement on whole body imaging systems. The agency claims that the Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) provides adequate protection. The Privacy Coalition letter pointed out that "the devices are designed to capture, record, and store detailed images of individuals undressed" and said that "If the public understood this, they would be outraged by the use of these devices by the US government on US citizens." The Privacy Coalition said that the use of the devices should be suspended pending an investigation. The letter was prompted by the TSA's announcement that Whole Body Imaging would replace metal detectors as the primary screening technique at US airports. The House of Representatives recently passed legislation that would establish clear privacy safeguards for the devices.
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September 28 Privacy Coalition Meeting
The September 28, 2007 meeting of the Privacy Coalition featured presentations by David Gersten Director of the Department of Homeland Security's Civil Rights and Civil Libertieis Programs, Robert Mocny, Director of the Department of Homeland Security's US VISIT Program. The meeting also featured presentations by Susan Hunkler a privacy rights activist, Jim Harrision Director of the Identity Project, Lew Motby President, Work Rights Institute and a discussion on Fusion Centers.
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Rulemaking Archives
Homeland Security Releases Final REAL ID Rules
The Department of Homeland Security released the long awaited final rule on state issued drivers licenses and identification documents. The rule indicated that the new federal REAL ID will be used for a variety of purposes unrelated to the law that resulted in the federalization of state issued drivers licenses. If states do not comply with the agency rule the drivers’ licenses held by state residents will not be accepted for air travel or to access federal government buildings. As a cost saving measure the Department of Homeland Security decided not to require encryption of the digital data stored on the REAL ID. The Privacy Coalition led a major anti-REAL ID public education campaign. EPIC's page on REAL ID and the ACLU's analysis of the new agency rule..
FTC Town Hall on Behavioral Advertising: Tracking, Targeting, and Technology
On November 1 and 2, 2007, the Federal Trade Commission will host a Town Hall entitled “Ehavioral Advertising: Tracking, Targeting, and Technology.” The event will bring together consumer advocates, industry representatives, technology experts, and academics to address consumer protection issues raised by the practice of tracking consumers’ activities online to target advertising - or “behavioral advertising.” The Town Hall is a follow-on to a dialogue on behavioral advertising that emerged at a November 2006 FTC forum, “Tech-Ade,” which examined the key technological and business developments that will shape consumers’ core experiences in the coming ten years. In addition, several consumer privacy advocates, as well as the State of New York, recently sent letters to the FTC asking it to examine the effects of behavioral advertising on consumer privacy.
DHS Announces Changes in SSA Employment Verification
The Department of Homeland Security announced changes in the process that employers must follow should the Social Security Administration report a no match with agency records. Each person seeking employment in the US is requested to fill out an I-9 form which asked for certain documents related to identification. Many employees provide a social security card, drivers license, or other government issued document both as proof of identity and a right to work. The new rule will bypass protections for workers and force employers to collect much more personal information on the behalf of the government under the "safe harbor" provisions.
DHS Retools Secure Flight Program
More than a year after Secure Flight was suspended for a comprehensive review, the Department of Homeland Security has announced major revisions to the program. Previously, DHS sought to use Secure Flight to assess possibilities for criminal behavior from travelers. The new program will "determine if passenger data matches the information on government watch lists, and transmit matching results to aircraft operators," according to DHS. The agency's match lists have a history of errors and accuracy problems.
DHS Announces May 1, 2007 Townhall on REAL ID
The Department of Homeland Security announced plans to hold a townhall meeting in Davis California. The REAL ID Town Hall is being held at the University of California, Davis Freeborn Hall, One Shields Avenue, Davis California and is hosted by the State of California (DMV) and sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security.
Privacy Groups File Complaint With FTC Regarding Google/DoubleClick Merger
EPIC, CDD and US PIRG today filed a complaint (pdf) with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), urging the Commission to open an investigation into the proposed acquisition. The groups urged the FTC to assess the ability of Google to record, analyze, track, and profile the activities of Internet users with data that is both personally identifiable and data that is not personally identifiable. The groups further urged the FTC to require Google to publicly present a plan to comply with well-established government and industry privacy standards such as the OECD Privacy Guidelines. Pending the resolution of these and other issues, EPIC encouraged the FTC to halt the acquisition.
DHS Federal Register Notice on Employment Verification System
The Department of Homeland Security announced in a Federal Register Notice published on April 9, 2007 that it would be changing several systems for records for the Verification and Information System (VIS) Justice/INS-035 published October 17, 2002 (67 FR 64134) and Alien Status Verification Index (ASVI) Justice/INS-009 published September 7, 2001 (66 FR 46815). The established systems of records will be effective on May 9, 2007 and would also be used for purposes related to REAL ID. You may submit comments, identified by Docket Number DHS-2007-0010 by one of the following methods: Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. You may also submit comments by fax by following the instructions for submitting comments. Fax: 1-866-466-5370, or mail comments to: Hugo Teufel III, Chief Privacy Officer, Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528.
DHS Data Privacy and Integrity Advisory Committee Meeting
The morning session of the meeting will consider REAL ID rulemaking. The proposed regulations for the REAL ID where recently made public by the Department of Homeland Security. The meeting agenda has the REAL ID discussion from 9:20 a.m. until Noon. The meeting will take place from 9:00 AM until 4:30 PM at the Crowne Plaza Washington National Airport, located at 1480 Crystal Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22202. Attendees should RSVP to PrivacyCommittee@dhs.gov or 571-227-3813. The meeting will be closed to the public from 12:30 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. for administrative purposes. Attendees should arrive by 8:45 a.m. or 1:15 p.m. for the public sessions.
DHS Publishes REAL ID Regulations in the Federal Register
The official public comment for REAL ID regulation begins with today's publiation in the federal register. The Department of Homeland Security will accept public comments on its proposed rules for the new ID until May 8, 2007. Comments from the public can be submitted through the following methods: online by visiting the Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov Under agency select "DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY*" for Document Type select "PROPOSED RULES" and for keyword input "DHS-2006-0030. Comments can also be faxed to 866-466-5370 or mailed to the Department of Homeland Security, Attn: NAC 1-12037, Washington, DC , 20528.
DHS's New Privacy Impact Assessment
The Department of Homeland Security published Privacy Impact Assessments (PIA) in the December 20, 2006 Federal Register [one] [two]. The E-Government Act of 2002 requires government agencies to produce a PIA whenever that create or purchase technology. The implementation of new technologies that may increase the ease of tracking and surveillance by government agencies makes the PIA a valuable transparency tool for privacy and civil liberty advocates.
