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WirelessDevNet.com Press Release
TRUSTe Announces First Wireless Privacy Standards To Protect Mobile Users
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 18 -- TRUSTe, the leading Internet
privacy seal program, today announced the launch of its Wireless Privacy
Principles and Implementation Guidelines which provide vendors serving the
mobile market with actionable and practical guidelines for protecting consumer
privacy. As part of this program, TRUSTe, along with leading partners AT&T
Wireless and Microsoft, has formed the Wireless Advisory Committee whose
function is to promote privacy standards to increase consumer use of advanced
wireless features and applications.
Other members of the Wireless Advisory Committee include HP,
PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), Wireless
Location Industry Association (WLIA) and consumer advocacy groups the Center
for Democracy and Technology (CDT), and the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
(PRC). New participants are committing to the next phase of the program,
including wireless applications provider Kivera.
As wireless innovation has grown, so have potential privacy issues
impacting consumers. For example, Location Based Services, while limited in
current availability, present a potential privacy challenge due to their
ability to locate and market to consumers real-time via a wireless device,
prior to receiving user consent. The Wireless Advisory Committee will work
with companies providing wireless data and wireless web services, to ensure
that specific standards regarding consumer notice and consumer consent are
achieved. In the case of Location Based Services, vendors would be required to
adhere to an "opt-in" only policy.
"This is only the first, but most challenging phase, in launching a
privacy program for the wireless medium to build trust with mobile users,"
said Fran Maier, executive director and president of TRUSTe. "The roster of
members in the Wireless Advisory Committee demonstrates the sense of urgency
felt by wireless data and content providers as they attempt to tackle the
privacy issue. TRUSTe is evolving in step with the overall privacy landscape,
and our organization is well-positioned to collaborate with the wireless
industry in its efforts to protect consumer privacy."
"AT&T Wireless helped initiate and lead this effort because we know
consumers want strong privacy protections that are easy to understand," said
Wally Hyer, chief privacy officer, AT&T Wireless. "While AT&T Wireless
already abides by a comprehensive privacy policy, we believe that a privacy
seal program will help consumers more easily identify companies that put
privacy first and help promote adoption of emerging wireless services."
Key Principles within the Wireless Privacy Principles and Implementation
Guidelines include:
-- Notice: Wireless service providers should provide a Full Privacy
Statement to the consumer prior to or during the collection of personally
identifiable information, or upon first use of a service.
-- Third-party sharing: Wireless service providers should only disclose
the consumer's personally identifiable information to a third party for uses
unrelated to the provision of service (such as the marketing of new products
and services), if the consumer has provided "opt-in" consent prior to such
use. Consumers should have the opportunity to change this preference at any
time.
-- Use of location-based information: Wireless service providers may only
use location information for services other than those related to placing and
receiving voice calls if consumers opt-in. Wireless service providers should
disclose the fact that they retain location information, beyond the time
reasonably needed to provide the requested service.
"Microsoft recognizes the vital role played by industry groups that are
actively engaged in promoting privacy standards, and we remain committed to
working with other industry leaders to put consumers in control of their
personal information," said Peter Cullen, chief privacy strategist at
Microsoft Corporation. "While the use of personal information to provide
enhanced services and value to customers has been a common practice among
businesses for decades, the convenience and ubiquity of wireless technology
creates unique privacy considerations that we are pleased to be proactively
addressing as a member of TRUSTe's Wireless Advisory Committee."
"These principles represent an important step toward assuring that the
interest of individuals in the privacy of the information generated in their
wireless communications is protected. We hope that companies will adopt and
adhere to these principles and we will be watching closely to determine their
effectiveness for consumers," said Paula Bruening, staff counsel, Center for
Democracy and Technology.
ABOUT TRUSTe
TRUSTe is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to enabling
individuals and organizations to establish trusting relationships based on
respect for personal identity and information in the evolving networked world.
Founded in 1997, TRUSTe runs an award-winning global privacy certification
and seal program. Its seal programs are considered Safe Harbors for the
Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the EU Safe Harbor
Framework. Today, TRUSTe maintains the largest privacy seal program with more
than 1,300 Web sites certified throughout the world including AOL, Microsoft,
IBM, Nationwide and The New York Times. TRUSTe's mission extends standards,
certification and oversight into email with Bonded Sender and wireless with
the Wireless Advisory Committee. For more information on TRUSTe please visit
http://www.truste.org.
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