Government and laws on privacy protection

Safety/ Privacy Software

Advice:
The risks and penalties involved are high for non-compliance. Infractions can result in stiff fines, expensive litigation and damage to your reputation. By knowing what the rules are, you can forge a universal policy for handling many issues such as breaches, responding to inquires, proving of due diligence, etc.

Many government statues require the appointment company-employed "Chief Privacy Officer". Special care should be exercised in dealing with incidents. Your Staff need to be committed & conversant with your Company's policy and procedures.

When interpretation and representation services are needed, you should confer with a qualified lawyer or legal firm with specific privacy expertise. Be leery of people or organizations that hold themselves up as technology experts, privacy experts and legal advisors. These fields of endeavor require dedication to one or the other to be able to properly keep on top rapidly changing landscape.

In our experience, companies with their own software/hardware solution, posing as consultants, can not provide an unbiased approach to your needs. This is vital and complicated issues surrounding privacy- see more on personal privacy. Another good example is on a major email provider where they will ask "We've made it easier to share what's important across the web, such as "Allow people to find my profile by searching for my name and information" or "Allow my connections to share information about me with applications they use including those not developed by us" By agreeing, you leave yourself wide open to unsolicited junk mail.

You should try to out the requirements of technology, legislation and human resources to arrive at a practical operational method. Encourage input from your own Staff members and are not adverse to seeking specific expertise. Governments of all shapes and sizes are struggling to find a balance between the perceived rights for their people and the needs of organizations. Your objective is to allow you to conduct an effective business without treading on those rights. Not so surprisingly, organizations with privacy policies that show respect to their own employees- builds trust and loyalty.

Government & Laws:

Britain
Information Commissioner: EC Directive

Canada
Commerce & Personal Privacy- Federal & Provincial: Resource Centre
(Please note that each Department usually has their own Access to or Freedom of Information and Privacy complaints/enforcement divisions separate from the Federal or Provincial Commission)
Public Safety New Law To Fight Crime proposed- New powers to monitor Internet traffic considered- Jun.18, 2009

United States
Computer Security Act: Standards for sensitive info
Cybercrime DOJ: Crime and Property
Financial Services Mod. Act: Gramm-Leach Bliley Act
Freedom of Information Act: National
Health Insurance Regulations: HIPPA
Chief Information Officers: Council
Federal Trade Commission: Privacy Initiatives
Privacy Act: Rules
Health & Human Services: Civil Rights
Federal Reserve Board- Electronic Funds Transfers: Consumer Guide
Real ID Act 2005- EPIC comments
Office of Privacy Protection- California
HIPAA Health - USA- Personal Health Info Privacy protection

Business links
Canada and USA
Reporting of illegal software use: Business Software Alliance
(currently offering up to $200,000 to users, distributors & internet sources that find and report illegal software on the internet)

Federal Communications Commission: Unsolicited faxes

Please note, a fax number on your web site, e-form, etc. can open the door to establishing a present or prior business relationship for junk fax senders with no shelf life provision.

These linked sources are provided on an "as is" basis.
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