By Douglas J. Gladstone

In the film, It Could Happen to You, a police officer promises the waitress who served him that, instead of a tip, he’ll divide any winnings with her from the lottery ticket he purchased. Naturally, their ticket wins.

Although my wife and I could win the lottery one day, odds are it won’t happen. Statistically, there’s a greater chance of being the victim of identity theft (a reported 1-in-465) than of winning the Powerball (a reported 1-in-146,107,962).

My wife and I should know. We were recent victims.

Comments by Privacy Rights Clearinghouse

Presented to President-Elect Obama’s Transition Team:
The Honorable Susan Ness, Professor Peter Swire, Professor Philip Weiser
as part of their meeting with privacy and consumer advocates
December 16, 2008

There are dozens of information brokers in the marketplace today that make information about individuals widely available, often with no questions asked, some of them at no charge and others for a fee.

 Will you be a good employee?
Are you likely to wreck your car?
Is your checking account frequently overdrawn?
What prescription drugs do you take?
Are you in poor health?
Will you default on your mortgage?
Does your home have water damage?
Will you trash the apartment or vacate with rent unpaid?

On July 3, 2008, Google made an important change to its home page. It added a new link from the home page to its privacy center. Google’s privacy center contains its privacy policy, privacy overview, and privacy videos.

All of Google's products and services are governed by its main privacy policy, which explains how they treat personal information. Additional pages describe privacy practices specific to certain Google products or services.

Comments submitted by:
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
Privacy Activism

California Department of Insurance Workshop Date:
June 23, 2008

Ms. Sara Urakawa
California Department of Insurance
Rate Enforcement Bureau
45 Fremont Street, 21st Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105
By e-mail: UrakawaS@insurance.ca.gov

            RE: Workshop Comments – “Pay-As-You-Drive” Automobile Insurance

Dear Ms. Urakawa:

June 10, 2008 UPDATE -- California Assemblymember Joel Anderson (R - La Mesa) wrote CEO Dr. Eric Schmidt, urging him to comply with California law and post a link to its privacy policy on the Google home page.

SAN DIEGO, WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A coalition of privacy and consumer organizations from California to Washington, D.C. have urged Google to post a prominent link on its homepage to its privacy policy. In a letter released June 3rd, 2008, the groups say this is required by California law and is the widespread practice of commercial web sites.

Federal Trade Commission Workshop
“Security in Numbers: SSNs and ID Theft”
December 10-11, 2007, Washington, D.C.
Agenda: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/workshops/ssn/agenda.pdf
FTC Staff Report: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/workshops/ssn/staffsummary.pdf

Comments Submitted to the Federal Trade Commission
by Privacy Rights Clearinghouse

Project No. P075414

September 5, 2007

Office of the Secretary
Federal Trade Commission
Room H-135 (Annex K)
600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20580

Submitted electronically: https://secure.commentworks.com/ftc-SSNPrivateSector

By Alan M. Mansfield, Editor ABTL Report
Rosner & Mansfield LLP
ABTL Report, Spring 2007
www.abtl.org/sd_report.htm

• Introduction
• What Are Data Security Breach Notification Laws?
• What Can Entities and Consumers Do to Protect Themselves?
• Conclusion

Introduction

by “Furious in Washington State”