privacy
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The Hidden Cost of Teletherapy
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Teletherapy became increasingly popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, an estimated 21% of U.S. adults used a teletherapy service, while mental health startups collectively raised $5.5 billion in funding. Websites such as BetterHelp, Cerebral, Ginger, ReGain, and TalkSpace, among others, connect users with therapists for virtual counseling sessions. Although…
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How the Artificial Intelligence Act Could Kickstart A Regulation Revolution
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No longer relegated to the world of science fiction, artificial intelligence (AI) has penetrated the mainstream. From Isaac Asimov’s influential 1950 literary work I, Robot to modern-day algorithmic decision-making, the rise in AI systems has been fueled by advancements in computer storage, processing speed, and access to big data. The…
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To Protect Privacy Rights on the Internet, Common Law Needs a Reboot
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Since 1986, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which prohibits unauthorized access to a computer, has been the primary legal proscription against hacking and computer fraud. However, several recent cases surrounding social media and publicly accessible information underscore new concerns around private companies and their violations of the data privacy…
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Breaking Facebook and Twitter’s Legal Immunity from Toxic Content
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On May 28, 2020 President Trump signed an executive order to break the immunity shield behind Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (CDA). Described as “the twenty-six words that created the internet,” Section 230 of the CDA protects social media giants such as Twitter and Facebook from liability for…
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Data Breach Notifications Are Too Complex
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The meteoric rise of electronic transactions has resulted in Americans becoming increasingly vulnerable to data breaches. Data breaches can cause grave harm to the consumer, potentially resulting in identity theft and causing significant monetary loss. In 2017 alone, over 2 billion records were breached, costing impacted consumers $1,000 on average.…
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The Privacy Concerns of Contact Tracing
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Social distancing. What about digital distancing? How private are digital handshakes? The spread of coronavirus has prompted government officials across the world to use technology to monitor infected individuals’ contacts. The result: digital contact tracing using a smartphone app. The costs: privacy, identity, and possibly more. Nations throughout the world…
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Metadata: Reidentification Using Telephone Data is Easier Than You Think
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Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, the US government passed the USA Patriot Act in October 2001, in what members of Congress and the Bush administration said was an effort to strengthen national security. However, opponents criticized the law for including provisions that encroached on citizens’ privacy and civil liberties.…
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Exceptional Access: How a “Back Door” Could Create Large-Scale Security Threats
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On February 16, 2016, Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, issued a letter to customers in which he declared his opposition to a federal court order requiring the company to help the FBI “unlock” an iPhone used by one of the two gunmen in the San Bernardino, California, mass shooting in…
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Hidden Threats to Healthcare Data Privacy Outside of HIPAA Protections
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An increasing amount of data are being collected and used outside of HIPAA protections, which poses a significant threat to patient privacy and traditional doctor-patient relationships.
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Freud, Bioethics or Methodology? The Menlo Park School of Psychology Innovates
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In possibly the largest natural experiment ever, data scientists test emotional contagion and convergence using mathematics, software algorithms, and a twist on classical psychological tenets, toeing the line of ethical responsibility and privacy protection.
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Howard Wolfson on post-9/11 Privacy and Security in Urban America
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Political strategist and former New York City Deputy Mayor Howard Wolfson discusses how terrorism, technology, and crime have impacted views on privacy and security.