[Dataloss] Will AOL Goof Trigger New U.S. Law?

[lyger]

Courtesy Richard Forno and Infowarrior (infowarrior.org)

Will AOL Goof Trigger New U.S. Law? By Frederick Lane
August 10, 2006 11:04AM
http://www.sci-tech-today.com/story.xhtml?story_id=02300000MCAG

The bill would require Internet companies to destroy obsolete electronic
data, and particularly data that could be used to individually identify
consumers. The bill would also instruct the Federal Trade Commission to set
up standards for the maintenance and destruction of data, and enforce the
provisions of the law.

The news that AOL released the search histories of 658,000 of its users is
renewing calls for federal legislation to protect consumer privacy online.

In the wake of the disclosure, Representative Edward Markey (D-Mass.) urged
his colleagues to take action on privacy legislation he proposed in February
of this year.

"Technology is the engine which will drive our economy into the next
century, but the success of this technology balances on the public trust,"
Markey said. "If 2005 was the year of the data breach, I want to make sure
that 2006 is the year of safeguarding the privacy of American citizens by
introducing legislation to prevent the stockpiling of private citizens
personal data."

[...]