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Two recent articles that relate to online privacy and consumer empowerment have been on my mind:
Some Thoughts on Internet Privacy Legislation (Law Librarian Blog; 5 May)
Internet data collection: The privacy line (LA Times; 8 May)
The LA Times piece boldly opens:
Apple introduced its Macintosh computer in 1984 with a now-famous Super Bowl commercial that showed a lone rebel striking out against Big Brother. So it was ironic that researchers recently accused the company of an Orwellian intrusion into consumer privacy: Its iPhones and iPads appeared to be tracking their users' movements.
The researchers referred to by the LA Times article, Alasdair Allan and Pete Warden, have caused quite a stir since their April 20th O'Reilly Radar article came out. The subsequent media coverage about Allan and Warden's discovery that Apple's smart phones with iOS4 operating system contain an unencrypted file with time-stamped, frequently updated GPS coordinates of nearby Wi-Fi hot spots and cellphone towers--data that could go back several months or even a year. When syncing with your computer, the file can be accessed by anyone using that computer, as well. Apple has issued an official response to this discovery, maintaining that it has never tracked the movements of its customers and therefore personal privacy has not been breached, that the data used to help calculate locations faster for applications such as maps while using less battery power, and that third-party apps do not, have not, and will not be provided any data on their devices unless the consumer explicitly agrees to this.
Side Note: In my opinion, South Park's recent Human CENTiPAD episode skillfully and hilariously addresses Apple's GPS tracking as well as the issue of corporate terms that consumers are responsible for understanding and agreeing to in order to access updates, applications, etc.Check out 10 Things South Park Human CENTiPAD Got Right.
Essentially, Apple has described this unencrypted file an unintentional "bug" that will be "fixed" by an update that will be released soon that reduces the size of the file/duration of time the data is kept and gives consumers the option of turning off the "Location Services." On the other hand, Apple customers can easily change the settings on their device to automatically encrypt all back up data, but why would the average smart phone user think to do this unless they were aware of potential privacy issues?
The media attention and public outcry that has evolved since the April 20th O'Reilly Radar Apple tracking story (which could have been broken about a year ago) has caught the attention of federal legislators who now are holding hearings regarding consumer privacy (in light of concerns about Apple as well as consumer data being tracked by Google, Facebook, and other online entities). In Some Thoughts on Internet Privacy Legislation, several sobering points are examined, including:
- 64% of Americans with cell phones use smart phones
- There is conflict within government regarding its own potential needs to use such data as evidence in criminal investigations (according to the May 10th testimony given by Jason Weinstein, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Department of Justice, Criminal Division)
- Courts have been ruling that governments do not necessarily need a warrant to conduct computer hard drive (and smart phones/mobile device) search and seizures.
- Marketing and law enforcement agencies view such consumer privacy data as a goldmine, and therefore have a lot at stake should the laws change.
- In light of incidents such as the government's fight to keep the library provisions in each re-authorization of the PATRIOT Act, it is not hard to imagine that the current Senate hearings will not lead to any meaningful changes. In fact, it is in the interest of these stakeholders to keep consumers unprotected and disempowered.
Dangerous Questions?
In terms of the philosophy of "intellectual freedom," and with competing priorities and financial considerations in mind, is it at all common for libraries as organizations and library administrators to make it a priority to provide programs, services, and resources to the community that would directly empower consumers to become aware of current and ongoing privacy issues, while connecting these issues with the broad range of issues that can fall under the umbrella of intellectual freedom?
Do "canned programs" like Banned Books Week and Choose Privacy Week go far enough?
If you were employed by a library-related institution that did not prioritize such programs, services, and resources, under what circumstances and how far would you be willing to go to advocate for your community?
"Only the suppressed word is dangerous."
- Karl Ludwig Börne, German journalist (1786-1837)
3 comments:
Wow, these are great issues... I think privacy issues really need to be discussed and grappled with and I know our library does not address them in a systematic way. I remember when I first got a Kroger card and coupons would be printed for me at the checkout based on my purchasing habits. Think how far we have come from there... It is a fine line to walk and I think we are just seeing the beginning of how vast the network of information can become. It is a little scary?! I also know we probably aren't aware of all the capabilities out there. I remember back in the 70s a friend of my father's worked for a defense contractor that put a big telescope on a satellite (can't recall the name). At that time this thing could look down and see a dime on a sidewalk...from space... Most people didn't think that kind of thing was possible...
I love your "Dangerous Questions!" I don't think our library does as much as we could...and I have to wonder if it's simply because we are all so weighted down with all of our other duties that these issues fall on the back burner, mostly.
However, I think it would be interesting to broach these topics with some of our more savvy patrons. I think it could bring up several questions and arguments even without our own library. For example, we use Cassie, an authentication software that patrons log into to get onto our computers. This helps us regulate time allowed on the computer, a waiting list for the computers, money to print, and also it allows us to see their screens from our desk computers. We have used this in the past to print a screen shot of anything inappropriate to go along with our incident form when someone violates our acceptable use policy. But is this a privacy issue? Or does that diminish because they are using a computer in a public library?
Robbi, does Cassie keep some type of record of these incidents (like a file of some type that documents the occurrence, which file could be subpoenaed by criminal investigators)? If the data is purged immediately, I would think the privacy aspect is not too much of an issue, but if the data could be used by a third-party for some purpose other than the intended purpose of alerting staff of certain incidents, then there may be some incidental privacy concerns. At least, that's what comes to my mind right now.
Thanks for your food for thought!
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