The Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law School is a leader in the study of the law and policy around the Internet and other emerging technologies.
Privacy
Our FTC Privacy Story And Its Critics
On June 28, ProPublica published a story by Peter Maass about the Federal Trade Commission and its efforts to protect the online privacy of consumers. The headline of the story was "How a Lone Graduate Student Scooped the Government and What It Means for Your Online Privacy." The 5,500 word article opened with an explanation of how a Stanford computer science student, Jonathan Mayer, conducted research through which he discovered earlier this year that Google was circumventing the privacy settings on a large number of iPhones and placing tracking cookies on them. The story credited Mr. Read more about Our FTC Privacy Story And Its Critics
Your FTC Privacy Watchdogs: Low-Tech, Defensive, Toothless
Jonathan Mayer had a hunch. Read more about Your FTC Privacy Watchdogs: Low-Tech, Defensive, Toothless
Is Orbitz being creepy or smart?
That "creepiness" might in itself be cause for concern, says Ryan Calo, a privacy expert with Stanford Law School's Center for Internet and Society. "The fact that people are creeped out by this is legitimate, and itself registers as a privacy harm," says Calo. He adds that if people don't understand how sites are arriving at prices, or feel like they're being manipulated, they might stop transacting business online.
Read the full story at the original publication link below. Read more about Is Orbitz being creepy or smart?
Orbitz Asks: Are You A Mac Or A PC?
If you visit Orbitz.com and search for hotels, the offers you're shown might differ depending on whether you're using a Mac or a PC. Specifically, if you're using a Mac, the travel site sometimes shows pricier options than if you're using a PC, according to a report in today's Wall Street Journal. Read more about Orbitz Asks: Are You A Mac Or A PC?
'Do Not Track' Web System Falls Off The Rails
CIS Resident Fellow Aleecia McDonald and Student Fellow Jonathan Mayer interviewed on All Things Considered about Do Not Track.
Read full transcript at original publication link below or download audio. Read more about 'Do Not Track' Web System Falls Off The Rails
World's Most Wired Computer Scientist
Arvind Narayanan’s business card is an exercise in brevity. It contains no data except his name and the words “Google me,” a fitting calling card for an academic who specializes in privacy and anonymity research. When you do Google him, his online footprint is robust, but highly selective and pruned. Read more about World's Most Wired Computer Scientist