Will Sandy cause a privacy nightmare?

The images coming from the New York metropolitan area this week have been mind numbing. Having grown up in the Rockaways has driven home the impact of the devastation that one storm has caused.  If you know of someone caught in the middle of all this, I hope they have fared well in the grand sche...

The value in personal information

Most of the broadcast news over the past few nights has understandably focused on Hurricane Sandy and the aftermath. However, it was another story that caught my attention because of the use of personal information by law enforcement. It reminded me that with all the privacy concerns we struggle ...

Having a privacy policy is just a start

Consumers, both business and individual, not only expect your organization to have a privacy policy, they also expect you to regularly train your staff, enforce the policy, and assess the overall health of the privacy program.. A company’s privacy policies, processes, and oversight reflect ...

Two reactions from customers to a data breach

TD Bank has notified their customers of a data breach through the  loss of a backup tape. Initial reports have said that the tapes contain  the account information and Social Security numbers of more than 267,000 customers on the US East Coast. The tape was not encrypted so, while the bank is una...

Your staff needs to be “privacy aware”

When it is all said and done, no matter what policies you put in place, no mater what procedures you define, no matter what documentation has been written to support your privacy program, it is worthless unless your organization’s staff is knows that these tools exist making them “pri...

Do you really need that customer personal information?

How often have you been asked to fill out a form in a professional’s office and there is space for your social security number causing you to wonder “why do they need that?” Often, if you ask, you fill find that the office staff has no idea, it has just always been done that way...

How not having a privacy program can impact B2B revenue

How many of us take the time to read privacy policies and notices on web sites? If you are in the B2B marketplace it may be worthwhile for you to review a prospect’s privacy information prior to making your initial contact. Why? Many businesses are requiring that their vendors have a privac...

Setting Expectations Through a Privacy Notice

Customers and employees don’t want to be surprised by how your organization uses and protects their personal information. A simple way to avoid surprise is to create a privacy notice that lays out, in easy to understand language, your organization’s approach to privacy.

Facial recognition, familiarity, and the creepiness factor

Several weeks ago there were a number of articles on  British Airways googling their VIP passengers before boarding a flight. This practice allowed BA to step up their  level of customer service including recognizing these people by name as they arrived. BA could also gather all sorts of personal...