We are not used to the Internet reality that something can be known and at the same time no person knows it.
Privacy and Security
Questions about privacy are central to the digital economy. We study how much people value privacy, the privacy paradox, and developments in state and federal privacy legislation. Our work has contributed to policy discussions of data portability, data regulation, and advertising models.
The Future of Privacy Online, September 27th Event Co-Hosted by TPI and ITIF
From blogs to Facebook profiles to Twitter messages, individuals are increasingly choosing to share information about themselves online. More personal information online brings both risks and rewards. How are companies using this digital information and how do consumers benefits from increased data sharing? Perhaps more importantly, do consumers have enough control over their personal information or is there a need for government regulators to step in? These issues will be discussed at “The Future of Privacy Online,” co-hosted by the Technology Policy Institute (TPI) and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF).
Online Privacy Issues Examined at Aspen Forum
The question of whether and how to regulate the collection and use of online information is receiving renewed attention from the Congress, Federal Trade Commission, and the Department of Commerce. What are the privacy problems we face on the Internet? Are they amenable to government or market solutions? What are the strengths and weaknesses of pending legislative proposals? What are the tradeoffs involved in regulating information flows more stringently? These questions will be examined at the TPI Aspen Forum breakout session “Privacy Online: Where Do We Go From Here?” The discussion is one of three off-the-record breakout sessions scheduled at the TPI Aspen Forum, to be held August 22 – 24 at the St. Regis in Aspen, Colorado.
If you like the Do Not Call List, should you want a Do Not Track List?
At a Senate Commerce Committee hearing last week, Federal Trade Commission Chairman…
Fear of Drug Information
The Internet has opened huge number of possibilities for information and communication. …
Comments filed with NTIA on the “Information Privacy and Innovation in the Internet Economy.”
Comments filed with NTIA on the “Information Privacy and Innovation in the Internet Economy.”
Social Networking Privacy Practices – Giving Behavioral Advertising a Good Name
Ever since Facebook introduced its new personalization programs, users, privacy groups, and…
Journal Article: In Defense of Data: Information and the Cost of Privacy
The commercial use of information on the Internet has produced substantial benefits for consumers, explain TPI President Thomas Lenard and Senior Fellow Paul Rubin in “In Defense of Data: Information and the Cost of Privacy,” published today by the Policy & Internet Journal. In the article, the authors argue that firms have incentives to satisfy customers’ privacy preferences and that restrictions in the legitimate use of information may not lead to further privacy benefits.
In Defense of Data: Information and the Costs of Privacy, Policy & Internet Journal
The commercial use of information on the Internet has produced substantial benefits for consumers. But, as the use of information online has increased, so have concerns about privacy. This paper discusses how the use of individuals� information for commercial purposes affects consumers, and the implications of restricting information availability in the interest of privacy. It lays out a range of information benefits to consumers of the commercial use of online information, including targeted services, cost reductions through targeted advertising, efficient search engines, differential pricing and re-use of information. It argues that firms have incentives to satisfy customers� privacy preferences and that restrictions in the legitimate use of information may not lead to further privacy benefits. It discusses a number of policy proposals geared at maximizing privacy, arguing that benefits to consumers would be outweighed by the information costs.
In Defense of Data: Information and the Costs of Privacy
The commercial use of information on the Internet has produced substantial benefits for consumers. But, as the use of information online has increased, so have concerns about privacy. This paper discusses how the use of individuals� information for commercial purposes affects consumers, and the implications of restricting information availability in the interest of privacy.