[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 95 (Wednesday, May 15, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 24499]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-12017]



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FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION


Public Workshop on Consumer Privacy on the Global Information 
Infrastructure

AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission.

ACTION: Announcement of public workshop.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Consumer Protection of the Federal Trade 
Commission announces it will host a one and one-half day public 
workshop on consumer privacy on the Global Information Infrastructure 
(GII). Online transactions, such as the purchase of goods, generated 
electronic data that are easily duplicated, stored, retrieved, analyzed 
and re-used. Advances in hardware, software, and communications 
technologies additionally allow previously impossible or impractical 
manipulation of information. The Bureau's purposes for conducting this 
workshop are to gather information on consumers' and industry's 
understanding of the privacy issues posed by the emerging online 
marketplace, and also to gather information on online protections for 
consumer privacy.

DATES: The workshop will be held on June 4, 1996 from 9:00 am to 5:00 
pm (Room 432) and on June 5, 1996 from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm (Room 332), 
at the Federal Trade Commission, Sixth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, 
NW, Washington, DC 20580. All interested parties are welcome to attend.

ADDRESSES: Requests to participate in the workshop should be mailed, on 
or before May 24, 1996, to Martha Landesberg, Division of Credit 
Practices, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission, 
Washington, DC 20580. Written comments should be directed to: 
Secretary, Federal Trade Commission, Room H-159, Sixth Street and 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20580. Comments should be 
identified as ``Consumer Privacy--Comment.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Martha Landesberg, Division of Credit Practices, Bureau of Consumer 
Protection, Federal Trade Commission, Washington DC 20850. Telephone: 
(202) 326-2825; electronic mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Workshop on Consumer Privacy on the Global Information 
Infrastructure

Agenda

June 4, 1996

Session 1--The Use of Consumer Information

Issues

    How is personal information currently used by online businesses? 
What do consumers know about the use of consumer information in online 
marketing and commercial transactions? What kinds of disclosure and 
notice might be provided to consumers? What choices can or should 
consumers have in exercising control over uses of personal information? 
How can the security and accuracy of personal information used online 
be assured? Are voluntary standards useful in this area?

Session 2--Electronic Regimes for Protecting Consumer Privacy Online

Issues

    Can technological standards such as the Platform for Internet 
Content Selection (PICS) system be used as models to facilitate 
automatic disclosure of privacy policies and the availability of 
consumer choice regarding the use of personal information?

Session 3--Consumer and Business Education in Online Privacy Issues

Issues

    What are the various means of educating consumers and industry 
about the use of personal information in online transactions?

Session 4--The Use of Medical and Financial Information Online

Issues

    What kinds of heightened protections might be afforded medical and 
financial information? What role, if any should such information play 
in online transactions?

Session 5--The Impact of the European Commission's Council Directive on 
the Protection of Personal Data

Issues

    What does the Directive require of government and industry with 
respect to the free flow of personal information? Can industry satisfy 
the Directive's ``adequacy'' requirement through the use of interactive 
privacy regimes?
June 5, 1996

Session 6--The Collection and Use of Information about Children

Issues

    What information is currently collected about children online and 
how is it being used? Is it appropriate to place limits on the online 
collection and/or use of information from and about children? What 
limits could be recommended? Who may consent and exercise choice in 
this context?

    By direction of the Commission.
Donald S. Clark,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-12017 Filed 5-13-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6750-01-M