Computers Freedom and Privacy 2009: Creating the Future

The problems with so-called "deep packet inspection" are too big to ignore, a panel of broadband experts said on the third and final day of the Computers, Freedom and Privacy conference at George Washington University here.

The online advertising industry and U.S. policy makers need to give online users more control over the collection of personal data and surfing habits beyond the traditional opt-out approach, some privacy advocates said Wednesday.

Balancing privacy and security will require a delicate approach as the Internet becomes more pervasive in the lives of everyday Americans, said a panel of national security policy experts on the first day of the Computers Freedom & Privacy conference at George Washington University.

President Barack Obama's new cybersecurity report is short on details and creates a federal coordinator position that may have limited power, some cybersecurity experts say. The new cybersecurity coordinator will report both to the US National Security Council and the National Economic Council, raising concerns that whomever Obama names will have split priorities, said Stewart Baker, a partner in the Steptoe & Johnson law firm and a former assistant director for policy in the US Department of Homeland Security.

National Economic Council Susan Crawford warned attendees at the Computers Freedom and Privacy conference that the Administration will keep a close watch on online advertisers that track consumers' Internet activity.

Even though the Obama administration has made important, early strides in its first 133 days as part of its technology policy agenda, Susan Crawford on Tuesday said the White House has a long way to go.