[Am-info] Way 'ta go Jesse!

[Fred A. Miller]

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Minnesota Opts In On Privacy

Despite opposition from Internet service providers and online=20
retailers, Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura signed legislation=20
Wednesday enacting the first state law in the country that spells=20
out procedures that Internet companies must follow before using=20
data collected from subscribers. The law will take effect in=20
March.=20

ISPs, Internet content providers, and online marketers say that=20
if other states follow suit, the proliferation of potentially=20
conflicting laws will hinder their operations nationally. The=20
Minnesota law says that any federal law passed on the same=20
subject will pre-empt the state measure. Last week, the commerce=20
committee of the U.S. Senate passed a similar bill.

The Minnesota law requires Web-site operators to place a=20
"conspicuous" notice on their Web pages disclosing the steps=20
consumers can take to prevent disclosure of personal data. The=20
law lets operators choose whether consumers will "opt in" or "opt=20
out" of further disclosure. Opt in means consumers must give=20
their permission before their data is distributed, while the=20
opt-out option lets operators use the data unless consumers=20
specifically prohibit such sharing.=20

In addition to regulating Internet privacy, the law will require=20
senders of junk E-mail, or spam, to include "ADV" in the subject=20
line of messages to identify them as advertisements. Ads with=20
sexual content must include "ADV-ADULT" in the subject line.=20
- - John Rendleman

For more, read:
Citizens Want Privacy And Security--A Tricky Balance
http://update.informationweek.com/cgi-bin4/flo?y=3DeHS40Bce7K0V20Bbft0A7

Privacy: Honest, Plain Talk Fosters Trust
http://update.informationweek.com/cgi-bin4/flo?y=3DeHS40Bce7K0V20BbSD0Az

- --=20
Fred A. Miller
Systems Administrator
Cornell Univ. Press Services
fm@cupserv.org, www.cupserv.org
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