Microsoft announces support for Privacy Laws

Microsoft announces support for US Government laws to protect the privacy of individuals.

Microsoft has become increasingly pro-privacy, and this furthers that stance. Yes, of course there are good business reasons for Microsoft to do this, including to promote online commerce and to avoid dealing with a patchwork of local laws, but that doesn't diminish its value!

No surprise that privacy is a big concern. Just about every business from the local healthclub, to supermarket, to every governmental agency seems to demand personal information. Want 15 cents a pound off chicken? You need an identifying card. Want to exercise? Better have an ID ready. Opening a PO Box? Two forms of ID, proof of residence, and who knows what else. And of course all this information goes into databases.

Criminals like user data. They can steal your identity, abuse your credit cards, get new credit cards and loans under your name, etc., if they can just get enough information about you.

Begin Rant:
Governments like user data. They like to keep tight tabs on their citizens and everyone else under the often mistaken guise of national security.

My data belongs to me, not you, Shop and Save, World Gym, or the Post Office. Certainly not my cellphone provider, my children's school, or anyone else. And sorry, but it's not any of the Government's business if I spend my vacations in Aruba, Hong Kong, or the Middle East either, nor how often and when I drive down the highway
End Rant.

While Microsoft's proposals fall short of my "My data belongs to me rant," it is the first logical and a necessary step. In short, they propose the following four core principals:

• Create a baseline standard across all organizations and industries for offline and online data collection and storage.
• Increase transparency regarding the collection, use and disclosure of personal information.
• Provide meaningful levels of control over the use and disclosure of personal information.
• Ensure a minimum level of security for personal information in storage and transit.

Bravo to Microsoft!

Thanks to Bruce Schneier for bringing this to my attention. His comments are here, and as he states,"The devil is in the details."