News
Book recommendation: The Right to Oblivion – Privacy and the Good Life by Lowry Pressly.
In this book, Pressly argues that even though the hardship our modern technological reality, we still can and should strive for privacy. Pressly offers a new perspective on the right to privacy – not just a right to be protected but a tool for making life meaningful. Pressly presents the right to privacy as essential for agency, trust, self-discovery, and deeper relationships.
Play recommendation: McNEAL
McNeal is a Broadway play by Ayad Akhtar, starring Robert Downey Jr. Downey plays Jacob McNeal, a celebrated writer who discovers on the same day that he won the Nobel Prize, and that he is terminally ill. The play explores McNeal’s fascination with artificial intelligence, his strained relationship with his son, and the ethical challenges of artistic creation and AI’s role in art.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s tentative settlement in the Marriott-Starwood data breach case, announced on October 9, 2024, introduces a new “right to be forgotten” provision. This is the first time the FTC has required a company to offer customers a link to request deletion of personal data tied to an email or loyalty rewards number, even if the data still serves a purpose. This 20-year obligation builds on the FTC’s recent focus on data minimization, seen in past settlements with Chegg, Drizly, and InMarket Media. While similar rights are already mandated by California’s Consumer Privacy Act and the EU’s GDPR, this settlement is notable as it marks the first time such a requirement has been imposed by a U.S. federal agency in the realm of cybersecurity.
The Oklahoma City Council approved $856,000 to purchase 50 new drones for police and fire departments, raising privacy concerns from some council members. The funds will be allocated over five years, adding to the 38 drones already in use. Police and fire officials emphasized the safety benefits of drones, due to their ability to provide real-time situational awareness to the forces before arriving to the scene of hazard. However, some councilors questioned the lack of clear policies on drone deployment and data usage, raising civil liberties concerns.
The genetic testing company 23andMe is facing bankruptcy due to, among other reasons, a drop in the number of test kits being ordered. This decline followed a data breach last year that targeted Jewish and Chinese customers. According to the company’s transparency report, under its current management, the company refused to provide DNA data to authorities in 15 cases. Its current status raises questions such as: would the company be required to change its privacy policy for financial reasons? What will happen to the DNA data if the company is sold to a different entity, and who would that be? Should there be governmental intervention to prevent a sale to a foreign actor?
This adds to other DNA privacy news: a class action has been filed against another DNA testing platform, Nebula Genomics, accusing the company of sharing customers’ genetic information with Meta Platforms Inc., Microsoft Corp., and Google LLC without users’ knowledge or consent.
(Compiled by Student Fellow Nofar Kadosh)