February 2012

Consumer Reports has sent its editors to Silicon Valley and to a special Ford proving ground in Dearborn (MI) to look at how cars might talk to one another in transit and improve safety. The magazine likes what it sees in this new technology, which enables vehicles to talk to one another and to road infrastructure such as traffic lights. This so-called V2X technology is gaining currency in the auto industry and among safety analysts. It has great potential in scenarios such as a car approaching an intersection at 30 mph with a green traffic light ahead at the same time a vehicle on the cross street is about to run a red light.

Whose fault is all of this? We can’t just point fingers at the companies that make iPhones, apps, social networking services and Web sites — although there are a lot of fingers that can be aimed in their direction. We’re all somewhat to blame.

The argument that if consumers care about their privacy they shouldn’t use these technologies is a cop-out. This technology is now completely woven into every part of society and business. We didn’t tell people who wanted safer cars simply not to drive. We made safer cars. Well, safety advocates, consumers and the government dragged the automobile industry toward including seat belts, air bags, more visible taillights and other safety features. Christopher N. Olsen, assistant director in the division of privacy and identity protection at the Federal Trade Commission, expects that as the privacy violations pile up, Congress could enact laws to protect consumers. “Industry should redouble its efforts to focus on privacy issues, or they may face additional pressure in form of legislation from Congress,” he said. Such legislation would not be ideal for anyone. As technology companies rightly argue, more legislation and regulation stifle innovation. But the current system of self-regulation is clearly not working. “The FTC has been very active on the enforcement front; we’ve recently entered into consent decrees with large companies like Facebook and Google, and we have pushed other companies too,” Olsen said.

In the wake of evidence that Google circumvented privacy protections on the iPhone, federal lawmakers are asking if the company violated the terms of its broad privacy settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.

The FTC settlement, finalized in October, "bars the company from future privacy misrepresentations," and required Google to implement a comprehensive privacy program. But Reps. Ed Markey (D-M), Joe Barton (R-TX) and Cliff Sterns (R-FL) are asking if Google's apparent end run around software on Apple's Web browser that blocks tracking would constitute a violation of Google's agreement with the FTC. "Google’s practices could have a wide sweeping impact because Safari is a major web browser used by millions of Americans," the lawmakers wrote to the FTC. "As members of the Congressional Bi-Partisan Privacy Caucus, we are interested in any actions the FTC has taken or plans to take to investigate whether Google has violated the terms of its consent agreement."

The battle to establish an interoperable, nationwide broadband network for public safety appears to be over.

Congress passed legislation on Friday, Feb. 17, that reallocates the 700 MHz “D Block” section of the airwaves for the network and supplies $7 billion in federal grant money to kick-start the project. For more than a decade, public safety advocates had been seeking federal approval for a high-speed wireless system that connects police and firefighters across multiple jurisdictions. The spectrum and network provisions were tucked into the Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011 (H.R. 3630) — which extends social security tax breaks for the middle class and unemployment benefits. Funding for the system will come out of an expected $22 billion stemming from future FCC auctions to commercial wireless providers of unused airwaves and “white space” spectrum — the band of frequencies between TV channels that are currently blank and serve as a buffer between the broadcast signals of various stations. Wireless communications placed in white space aren’t expected to be powerful enough to interfere with TV transmissions. Thanks to the legislation, the reallocation of D Block means that public safety will have 20 MHz of contiguous spectrum to launch the nationwide wireless broadband network. In addition, public safety also won’t be required to return its 700 MHz narrowband spectrum.