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Focus on Privacy & Marketing

Featured Materials: Intro: Marketing & Your Privacy Law & Policy Action, Activism, & Protests Archived Materials Biometrics Consumer Technologies National ID System Surveillance Monitor

Privacy Featured News

Biometrics, Surveillance, National ID Threats to Privacy - Electronic Frontier Foundation Releases Reports [EFF media release] (June 13, 2002)    Copyright Office Threatens Internet Radio Privacy - EFF, EPIC and Broadcasters Comment - UPDATE: Hollywood backing down [updated EFF media release]   [joint comments]   (updated Apr. 12, 2002)    EFF Honors Pioneer Award Winners - San Francisco Ceremony for Dan Gillmor, Beth Givens, DeCSS Writers [EFF media release]   (Apr. 11, 2002)    USAPA Sunset Provisions Could Leave Congress in the Dark - Ongoing Oversight of Anti-Terrorism Law Called For [EFF analysis of sunset provisions]   [earlier EFF analysis of surveillance provisions]   [more information]   (Dec. 12, 2001)    EFF Analysis of USA-PATRIOT Act Surveillance Legislation - Severe civil liberties problems in overreaching wiretap bill rammed through Congress by the Administration without hearings. [EFF Analysis]   [EFF response to pro-surveillance criticism]   [EFF media release]   [bill texts/analyses]   [MP3 audio of Oct. 11 BayFF panel on this topic: pt. 1, pt. 2]   [Sen. Feingold blasts the bill in Senate speech]   (updated Nov. 2, 2001)    EFF & other privacy groups file FOIA suit to get details on approx. 1000 detainees - In Defense of Freedom Coalition joint letter demands details on arrests and detainments from Dept. of Justice. [IDoF Coalition letter]   [Reuters/CNN article]   (Nov. 1, 2001)    EFF Defends More Anonymous Critics - Urges Court to Dismiss Unfounded Identity Disclosure Cases Quickly. [EFF media release]   (Oct. 25, 2001)    Anti-terrorism Chill Felt Across the Net - EFF creates ongoing list of websites and inviduals censored in wake of 9/11 tragedy. [EFF's list]   (updated Oct. 24, 2001)

EFF's Privacy Now! Campaign

Right now there is a lack of awareness about how extensively personal information that has been collected is used on the Net and to whom this information is shared. Most don't realize the vast information sharing chain that exists once a company or governmental agency obtains your personal information. In some cases, personal information about you that will be shared might contain only a name and an email address. Oftentimes though, personal information can include name, address, email address, social security numbers, URLs for web sites you've visited, as well as other information that may have been built up about you in a profile.

Why does this matter? Aggregation of data from different sources allows others to form opinions of you, to market items to you in a specific way, or to possibly discriminate against you, based on a profile that may or may not be accurate. Unwanted disclosure of information often has similar consequences. Consequences can range from simple embarrassment to serious problems such as harassment, violence, insurance cancellation, loss of job or home, and relationship issues with family and friends.

To help raise awareness and to give you a way to fight back, EFF has launched an ongoing privacy campaign to show clearly the long, convoluted path that your personal information makes as it is shared among a myriad of organizations.

Visit our web site often and use our sample letters to inform those who share your personal information far and wide that this is no longer an acceptable business practice.

Please send any questions or comments to webmaster@eff.org.