Alliance Launches Consumer Privacy Campaign
The Internet Alliance (IA) is launching a major educational campaign to assist companies in protecting consumers’ privacy. The IA’s Law Enforcement and Security Council (LESC), a working group with representatives from leading technology, communications and Internet companies, published the first component of the campaign, which features a guidebook to the Electronic Communication Privacy Act (ECPA).
The guidebook suggests appropriate scenarios under which to release customer information to law enforcement agencies during a criminal investigation.
“LESC member companies are working hard to promote safety and security on the Internet while honoring consumers’ privacy preferences,” said Ron Teixeira, IA’s manager, global law enforcement and security affairs. “Meanwhile, the LESC provides a foundation by ensuring that industry players and law enforcement agents coordinate efforts to make cooperation a reality by educating constituents on existing privacy regulation.”
John Ryan, LESC co-chair and AOL Time Warner vice president and associate general counsel added, “When Congress enacted ECPA, it carefully balanced consumers’ right of privacy with governments’ rights to investigate crime. We want LESC members and other service providers to be well-educated on the rules ECPA sets out for government investigations — and this guide is an important step toward that goal.”
The Washington, D.C.-based Internet Alliance is a consumer Internet industry association representing the industry at the state, federal and international levels. Leading members of the LESC include AOL Time Warner, @Once, BuffNET, Juno Communications, IBM, Microsoft, Prodigy Communications L.P., Verizon, WorldCom, and Yuroka.
Reprinted from dc.internet.com.