US government pitches consumer privacy plan

The United States Department of Commerce (DoC) is pitching a framework plan to help keep consumers safe and educated online.

The DoC said that the framework would seek to establish guidelines that will help keep online consumers aware of how their information is being stored and secured by retailers.

The plan calls for both the creation of government offices to ensure privacy and the introduction of frameworks and platforms to help retailers provide secure and transparent privacy policies.

The report [PDF] said that the framework is needed to improve handling of data both at the retailer and consumer ends. Online retailers must provide a clearer picture of how data is handled, while consumers need to become more educated about managing data.

"This misalignment can undermine consumer trust and inhibit the adoption of new services. It can also create legal and practical uncertainty for companies, " reads the report.

"Strengthening the commercial data privacy framework is thus a widely shared interest."

Additionally, the framework will seek to extend to the international arena. The DoC called for the framework to recognise, and at times overlap with, commercial privacy frameworks in other countries.

The framework is receiving early support from some of the largest names in the technology sector.

"HP commends Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke for his leadership in addressing privacy issues while fostering innovation, and views today’s Internet Policy Task Force report as a positive first step in that process," said HP chief privacy officer Scott Taylor.

"As the world’s largest technology company, we look forward to continuing to support efforts that seek to strike an appropriate balance between consumer protection and innovation."

Likewise, Intel global privacy officer David Hoffman gave the plan a thumbs-up.

"The department's paper wisely recognises that we are at a critical time in the development of computing where promoting an environment that allows for innovation is essential," said Hoffman.

"Intel sees computing moving in a direction where an individual’s applications and data will move as that person moves through his or her day."