A new voluntary privacy best practices guide for commercial and private drone operators, agreed to by some participants Wednesday through a collaborative NTIA-driven process, is being praised by some organizations (see 1605180044). "This forward-thinking approach facilitates the development of well-informed and thoughtful standards that balance privacy rights with the need to protect US innovation and economic competitiveness," said the Small UAV Coalition in a statement issued after Wednesday's meeting. Chris Calabrese, Center for Democracy and Technology vice president-policy, said in a statement the document has several important elements such as restricting "persistent and continuous" data collection of people and a detailed data collection policy, saying operators can't retain data longer than "reasonably necessary," and requiring drone operators to "minimize operations" over private property without consent of the property owner or legal authority. Participants began meeting in August. While many representatives appeared to support the document, several drone industry, insurance and privacy representatives said Wednesday they didn't for various reasons, saying further meetings wouldn't be productive. “Drones are already being used for search and rescue and to assist farmers, home contractors, photographers, newsgatherers, and may soon be used for wireless internet and delivery. These standards will help ensure these technologies are deployed with privacy in mind," said Future of Privacy Forum CEO Jules Polonetsky in a statement in support. Brian Wynne, CEO of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, said in a statement that the document will help "facilitate the safe and responsible use" of drones. "Rather than create a complicated patchwork of new laws to address privacy, AUVSI encourages states and municipalities to allow commercial operators to adopt these uniform, federal privacy best practices," he said. Angela Simpson, NTIA deputy assistant secretary for communications and information, said in a blog post the voluntary guide will help build consumer trust, give users tools to innovate while respecting privacy and also provide accountability and transparency. NTIA will work with stakeholders to disseminate and promote the practices widely, she said.

A new voluntary privacy best practices guide for commercial and private drone operators, agreed to by some participants Wednesday through a collaborative NTIA-driven process, is being praised by some organizations (see 1605180044). "This forward-thinking approach facilitates the development of well-informed and thoughtful standards that balance privacy rights with the need to protect US innovation and economic competitiveness," said the Small UAV Coalition in a statement issued after Wednesday's meeting. Chris Calabrese, Center for Democracy and Technology vice president-policy, said in a statement the document has several important elements such as restricting "persistent and continuous" data collection of people and a detailed data collection policy, saying operators can't retain data longer than "reasonably necessary," and requiring drone operators to "minimize operations" over private property without consent of the property owner or legal authority. Participants began meeting in August. While many representatives appeared to support the document, several drone industry, insurance and privacy representatives said Wednesday they didn't for various reasons, saying further meetings wouldn't be productive. “Drones are already being used for search and rescue and to assist farmers, home contractors, photographers, newsgatherers, and may soon be used for wireless internet and delivery. These standards will help ensure these technologies are deployed with privacy in mind," said Future of Privacy Forum CEO Jules Polonetsky in a statement in support. Brian Wynne, CEO of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, said in a statement that the document will help "facilitate the safe and responsible use" of drones. "Rather than create a complicated patchwork of new laws to address privacy, AUVSI encourages states and municipalities to allow commercial operators to adopt these uniform, federal privacy best practices," he said. Angela Simpson, NTIA deputy assistant secretary for communications and information, said in a blog post the voluntary guide will help build consumer trust, give users tools to innovate while respecting privacy and also provide accountability and transparency. NTIA will work with stakeholders to disseminate and promote the practices widely, she said.

Participants in an NTIA-driven process reached agreement Wednesday on a document aimed at helping provide privacy best practices for commercial and private drone operators, but the process wasn't without some last-minute changes to the document's language and opposition by several prominent privacy groups and others. The voluntary guide is the culmination of work among several representatives from the drone and technology industries, privacy groups and academia since the process was started in August. Several members had expected to reach agreement at the meeting (see 1604280066).

Participants in an NTIA-driven process reached agreement Wednesday on a document aimed at helping provide privacy best practices for commercial and private drone operators, but the process wasn't without some last-minute changes to the document's language and opposition by several prominent privacy groups and others. The voluntary guide is the culmination of work among several representatives from the drone and technology industries, privacy groups and academia since the process was started in August. Several members had expected to reach agreement at the meeting (see 1604280066).

Participants in an NTIA-driven process reached agreement Wednesday on a document aimed at helping provide privacy best practices for commercial and private drone operators, but the process wasn't without some last-minute changes to the document's language and opposition by several prominent privacy groups and others. The voluntary guide is the culmination of work among several representatives from the drone and technology industries, privacy groups and academia since the process was started in August. Several members had expected to reach agreement at the meeting (see 1604280066).

The FCC should ignore industry objections and keep current comment deadlines on the ISP privacy rulemaking, said nine consumer and public interest groups in a filing Monday. Industry groups asked for a 45-day delay (see 1604210048). Wireline Bureau Chief Matt DelNero said Friday that the FCC will likely respond soon to groups seeking extended deadlines (see 1604220055).

The FCC should ignore industry objections and keep current comment deadlines on the ISP privacy rulemaking, said nine consumer and public interest groups in a filing Monday. Industry groups asked for a 45-day delay (see 1604210048). Wireline Bureau Chief Matt DelNero said Friday that the FCC will likely respond soon to groups seeking extended deadlines (see 1604220055).

Microsoft's lawsuit challenging federal government orders that prevent the company from telling customers that their data is being searched or taken "brings attention to the issue" (see 1604140041), but several interviewed said they were unsure whether the company would prevail. American University assistant law professor Jennifer Daskal told us Friday that even though the company's argument that the combination of no-notice warrants and indefinite gag orders raises issues of the First and Fourth amendments, it's a "facial challenge, meaning that a piece of the statute (the Electronic Communications Privacy Act or ECPA) itself should be struck down and I think that part of the claim is going to be hard to establish."

Microsoft's lawsuit challenging federal government orders that prevent the company from telling customers that their data is being searched or taken "brings attention to the issue" (see 1604140041), but several interviewed said they were unsure whether the company would prevail. American University assistant law professor Jennifer Daskal told us Friday that even though the company's argument that the combination of no-notice warrants and indefinite gag orders raises issues of the First and Fourth amendments, it's a "facial challenge, meaning that a piece of the statute (the Electronic Communications Privacy Act or ECPA) itself should be struck down and I think that part of the claim is going to be hard to establish."

Microsoft's lawsuit challenging federal government orders that prevent the company from telling customers that their data is being searched or taken "brings attention to the issue" (see 1604140041), but several interviewed said they were unsure whether the company would prevail. American University assistant law professor Jennifer Daskal told us Friday that even though the company's argument that the combination of no-notice warrants and indefinite gag orders raises issues of the First and Fourth amendments, it's a "facial challenge, meaning that a piece of the statute (the Electronic Communications Privacy Act or ECPA) itself should be struck down and I think that part of the claim is going to be hard to establish."