Briefs

From Infoworld.com (11/30/00); Marsan, Duffy via ACM

The outcome of the presidential election will not interfere with
Congress's intention to introduce privacy legislation next session,
privacy advocates say.  FTC Chairman Robert Pitofsky says that privacy
protections are needed to help the Internet reach its full potential
because the free market and self-regulation have failed to get the job
done. Jerry Berman, executive director for the Center for Democracy
and Technology, says that privacy legislation is a priority in
Congress and enjoys bipartisan support in both houses. Former FTC
Commissioner Christine Varney agrees. "We have a two-year Congress
that is very committed to getting itself re-elected," Varney
says. "Privacy legislation will happen."

Analysts predict that any federal privacy legislation that is passed
will not include a clause to preempt state laws and will not give Web
site operators immunity from class action lawsuits. Privacy advocates
must be willing to settle for a moderate privacy law, as Congress may
not pass a perfect one, Berman says. IBM's new chief privacy officer,
Harriet Pearson, says that businesses must be careful about consumer
privacy even if Congress fails to pass a privacy law. "This is not a
choice between regulation and self-regulation," says Pearson. "This is
about business being responsible and doing the right thing."

see Inforworld


See also "U.S. Expected to bring privacy law"
National Post Online (11/21/00); Akin, David

The federal government is expected to introduce online privacy
legislation next year because the Internet industry has failed in its
attempts at self regulation, according to privacy experts who recently
attended a privacy conference in Montebello, Quebec. Canada and
countries in Europe have already taken a legislative approach to
online privacy, but thus far U.S. lawmakers have been hesitant to take
a similar stand on the issue. That appears likely to change.

"We need some tools to get at those places that self-regulation isn't
going to reach," said FTC Commissioner Mozelle Thompson. "We are very
supportive of self-regulation models and any legislative model would
allow those proposals to stand," Thompson said. Any federal privacy
legislation should incorporate the four elements of notice, choice,
access, and security, the FTC has said. If Congress introduces a
privacy bill, it is expected to incorporate language from several
existing privacy bills and would be broad in scope, much like Canada's
Bill C-6, which goes into effect with the start of the new year.

Full story at

National Post