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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)
