A transnational privacy standard? Sounds too good to be true. However, groups of countries like Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the European Union (EU) have created their own privacy standards that have been more or less successful.
APEC’s Privacy Framework is based upon nine essential points:
- Preventing Harm
- Notice
- Collection Limitations
- Uses of Personal Information
- Choice
- Integrity of Personal Information
- Security Safeguards
- Access and Correction
- Accountablity
APEC’s framework has been derided as being too vague. The EU, however, defines privacy as a “fundamental human right” and has instituted measures that are positively draconian when compared to US laws. The US Department of Commerce has worked with the European Commission to develop a safe harbor for American companies wishing to do businesses with countries in the EU.
Google is proposing a global standard for privacy concerns. The details will be released on September 21, 2007. From NetworkWorld:
Search giant Google will propose on Friday that governments and technology companies create a transnational privacy policy to address growing concerns over how personal data is handled across the Internet.
Fleischer’s 30-minute presentation will advocate that regulators, international organizations and private companies increase dialog on privacy issues with a goal to create a unified standard.
Google envisions the policy to be a product of self-regulation by companies, improved laws and possible new ones, according to a Google spokesman based in London.
Google will have a tough row to hoe. First, there are many who hate Google as much as they hate Microsoft. I don’t understand that kind of thinking, but it’s out there. Second, there are many people — myself included — who despise Google’s collusion with the Chinese government. Finally, Google’s proposal is apparently weaker than the EU standard and it’s unlikely that the EU is going to budge.
Google’s initiatives will have to be strengthened to be accepted in today’s world. However, the fact that they are pushing for a global standard and that they have the economic clout to do so might just put them in the driver’s seat. We’ll have to watch and see how it pans out.
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