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Privacy groups lobby EU to crack down on Web companies
A coalition of privacy advocates wrote to the European Union on Monday, urging it to ignore the advice of the U.S. government and push ahead with proposed data privacy regulations of Web companies like Facebook and Google.
Representatives from the American Civil Liberties Union, the Consumer Federation of America, the Center for Digital Democracy and the Friends of Privacy USA met with EU officials on Monday in an effort to counter the lobbying of the U.S. government.
"There is a dramatic expansion of data collection of online users, a digital 'arms' race that is being fought in the U.S., EU, Asia Pacific, and other areas. Personal data are being compiled and sold to the highest bigger in 'milliseconds' via online auctions — all with the knowledge or consent of the consumer," the privacy groups wrote in a paper.
"The European Union must act to help set a global standard protecting the fundamental right to privacy for citizens and consumers," the groups wrote.
The European proposal would create a permanent regulator with the power to fine companies for mishandling personal information
The proposal would prohibit certain Web tracking and data collection practices without the users' consent. Users would also have the right to require companies to delete the information collected about them.
In a letter to the EU last week, the U.S. government warned that the proposals could "stifle innovation and hamper growth."
U.S. officials said the United States and the Europe share the desire to protect consumers' personal information, and noted that the Obama administration is already working to implement voluntary industry standards for privacy protection.
They urged the EU to "look more towards outcomes that provide meaningful protection for privacy and focus less on formalistic requirements."
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