Three Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee wrote to 19 wireless carriers and handset makers on Friday, seeking information on how they address cell phone theft. Reps. Henry Waxman and Anna Eshoo of California joined Edward Markey of Massachusetts in writing to Microsoft, Apple, Nokia, Verizon, Sprint, and other firms, citing concerns from law enforcement officials about a significant rise in crime connected to theft of mobile devices. The letters (PDF) ask companies how they cooperate with law enforcement to retrieve lost or stolen phones, and what their views are on technology to remotely disable phones once they are lost. The lawmakers request answers no later than April 11.
The letters come just one day after Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., introduced a bill (HR 4247) that would force carriers to cut off service to devices that have been reported stolen. The legislation would require carriers to develop technology to allow customers to remotely delete their data once their phones have been stolen. The bill would also require every cell phone made or imported into the U.S. to have a unique ID number; the wireless industry would then be required to create and maintain a national blacklist with the ID numbers of stolen devices to prevent thieves from signing up for service with another carrier. Reps. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., and Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., are signed on as cosponsors.
Web PAC Buys Billboard Against SOPA Sponsor: House Judiciary chairman Lamar Smith, R-Texas, is still feeling the effects of losing the battle over online piracy in Congress earlier this year. Smith's dogged support of the Stop Online Piracy Act in the face of massive online protests has turned him into the top target of online activists, according to a report from Roll Call's Janie Lorber. The news discussion site reddit, which led the early charge against SOPA among grassroots activists, has spawned a new political action committee known as Test PAC, which hopes to become "the voice of the Internet." Backers have raised almost $10,000 and planning to purchase a billboard over a major highway in San Antonio opposing Smith's campaign for re-election. Test PAC is based on reddit but not affiliated with the company or any of the other websites that blacked themselves out during a 24-hour protest against SOPA earlier this year. FTC Releasing Final Privacy Report Monday: The Federal Trade Commission announced a press conference on Monday, where chairman Jon Leibowitz will discuss the release of the agency's final privacy framework report. The Commission released a preliminary draft of the report on December 2010 that endorsed the creation of Do Not Track technology for Web browsers, a recommendation the browser makers have begun implementing in recent months. The FTC has pursued complaints against Facebook and Google for allegedly misrepresenting their privacy policies, and has vowed to do the same to any firm that violates consumers' privacy. The report is expected to outline exactly how much action the FTC can take on its own, and what would require legislative action. Facebook: Don't Give Employers Your Password--Facebook chief privacy officer Erin Egan posted a message on Friday in response to reports of employers asking job candidates and employees to hand over their Facebook passwords. Egan told users not to give anyone access to their accounts, and said making the request of job candidates is wrong. Facebook has also made it a violation of the site's terms to share or solicit a Facebook password. Egan promised Facebook would act to protect users' privacy, including lobbying policymakers and going to court if necessary. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., is also reportedly working on a bill that would ban employers from requesting access to private Facebook accounts. The Economist's Babbage blog has also weighed in on the issue, calling for the U.S. to join countries like Germany in banning the practice. Also, this week's magazine notes the major problem with most online passwords is how easy they are to guess. Quotable: "While we will continue to do our part, it is important that everyone on Facebook understands they have a right to keep their password to themselves, and we will do our best to protect that right." --Facebook Chief Privacy Officer Erin Egan Poll Shows Public Support For Cameras in SCOTUS: Finally, a new C-SPAN poll of 1,000 adults conducted Wednesday and Thursday shows three out of four (74 percent) Americans strongly or somewhat agree that the Supreme Court should allow TV cameras to cover oral arguments, a ten percent increase since December. 86 percent say the Court should have allowed cameras inside for the upcoming challenge to the health care overhaul. Over half of those surveyed say they will make an effort to listen to the audio recordings of the proceedings, which will be posted on an expedited basis. The Court recently rejected repeated entreaties by C-SPAN to allow its cameras in to broadcast oral arguments in the health care challenge.