U.S. Urges Web Privacy "Bill Of Rights"
The Obama administration called Thursday for the creation of a Privacy Policy Office that would help develop an Internet “privacy bill of rights” for U.S citizens and coordinate privacy issues globally.
The U.S. Commerce Department’s report stopped short of calling directly for specific privacy legislation. Instead, it recommends a “framework” to protect people from a burgeoning personal data-gathering industry and fragmented U.S. privacy laws that cover certain types of data but not others.
The report marks a turning point for federal Internet policy. During the past 15 years of the commercial Internet, Congress and executive branch agencies have largely taken a hands off approach to the Internet out of a concern that a heavy government hand would stifle innovation.
The report cites comments from some major technology companies, including Microsoft Corp. and Google Inc., expressing concerns about the current patchwork of rules and guidelines governing online privacy.
