The Safety of Internet Search Engines (Google, Yahoo, MSN, AOL, Ask), May 12, 2006, by Ben Edelman and Hannah Rosenbaum. “Abstract: We compare safety of leading search engines, using SiteAdvisor’s automated Web site ratings. We find most leading search engines similar in the safety of the sites they link to, though MSN is the safest… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: E-Commerce
Factors That Contribute to Successful Banking Websites
The Three Factors for a Successful Online Banking Site Continue Reading
Net Neutrality Proposal Defeated by House
Toll Lane Ahead for Internet Traffic? Tech Giants’ Internet Battles: “Web titans like Google and Yahoo! are battling some of the smartest lobbyists in the business. And they’ve just lost a big one on Capitol Hill.” Related postings on net neutrality Continue Reading
NY County First in Nation to Require Business Wireless Security
ComputerWorld reports that Westchester County in New York is the first county in the nation to require all businesses with wireless networks that collect consumer related data to use “minimun security measures.” Continue Reading
Image Based Searching Using Cell Phone Photos
From Microsoft Research, Photo2Search: Explore the Real World via Camera Phone “Seeking information about something seen, a user takes a photo of the object and sends the photo, via e-mail or Multimedia Messaging Service, to a Web-based server, which searches an image database for matches. The server then delivers database informationwhether it be a Web… Continue Reading
House Cmte. Issued Subpoenas to Companies Selling Cell Phone Records
As noted in a series of previous postings on the sale of cell phone records and associated privacy issues, it was reported on April 7, 2006 that the House Engery and Commerce Committee’s demand for the business records of companies engaged in this commerce has not yielded reponses. Therefore, the committee issued subpoenas to 12… Continue Reading
Data Brokers Supplying Gov’t Don’t Consistently Protect Privacy of Citizen Info
Personal Information: Agencies and Resellers Vary in Providing Privacy Protections, Full-text GAO-06-609T, April 4, 2006. Highlights. “In fiscal year 2005, the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and State and the Social Security Administration reported that they used personal information obtained from resellers for a variety of purposes, including performing criminal investigations, locating witnesses and fugitives,… Continue Reading
Data Accountability and Trust Act Unanimously Approved by House Cmte.
Press release: “The House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously approved new data security laws Wednesday that will ensure consumers’ personal information is closely guarded and consumers are notified when they are at risk…The bill places new requirements on specific companies that specialize in collecting personal data. These “data brokers” will be required to implement effective… Continue Reading
BBB Offers Toolkit to Help Manage Privacy and Security
“The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has partnered with nationally-recognized security and privacy experts to create a new toolkit to help small business owners manage security and privacy challenges. We call it Security & Privacy – Made Simpler (TM). The objective is to demystify the complexities of data security and give small businesses a non-technical roadmap… Continue Reading
UK Study Notes Increased Use of Net By Women for E-Commerce
A new study (4 pages, PDF) by the European Interactive Advertising Association indicates that although men continue to spend more time on the Internet than women, the gap is rapidly closing. Continue Reading
Online Tracking Technologies and Services Come With A Cost: Your Privacy
Newsweek: Why Privacy Won’t Matter Google, Yahoo and Microsoft desperately want to know every last thing about what you do, say and buy. Here’s how they’ll do itand why we’ll let them. Continue Reading
FEC Issues Draft Final Rules on Use of Internet In Connection with Federal Elections
Following up on several related postings on bloggers and campaign speech, today the FEC issued a 96 page document (PDF) promulgating its final rules that impact the publication of campaign related information. Declan McCullagh has more details and commentary. March 22, 2006 – The Commission Has Published Interim Final Rules on Definitions of Federal Election… Continue Reading
