Digital Privacy

Fearing the growing clout of Facebook, some publishers and retailers are reprogramming their websites to send less data back to the social network about who visits their sites.

European Union officials reached agreement Tuesday on a pan-European digital-privacy law, creating a strict new legal framework on how companies can use individuals’ personal information.

A new European digital privacy law could have serious consequences for online advertising in the region, threatening everyone from ad tech middlemen to publishers to Web giants like Google and Facebook

The sweeping new digital privacy regime that European Union officials agreed to runs counter to practices that have become commonplace in the U.S., according to several American corporations.

President Barack Obama proposed new legislation aimed at combating online fraud, protecting digital privacy and creating new corporate responsibilities in the event of data breaches.

By Glenda Toma
The debate on regulating digital privacy.

Following last month’s attacks in Paris, European Union officials are pressing big U.S. tech companies to free up surveillance access to their user data, marking a shift in the debate over privacy and security within the bloc.

Recent lawsuits filed by users against Facebook Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google highlight the risks that companies face as they adopt the technology as an alternative to the password​.

In order to access Facebook, users must agree to a lengthy terms of service contract that outline everything Facebook has permission to do. That includes tracking users, even when they aren't on Facebook, for advertising purposes.

In the battle between privacy and security, you might think a breach of the iPhone would be a bad thing for the user—but experts say this is exactly how the system should work, writes Christopher Mims.