Telecom Firms Form Privacy Coalition

As privacy and data security heat up on Capitol Hill in the wake of news over the National Security Agency's surveillance programs, a group of the nation's largest telecommunications companies formed the 21st Century Privacy Coalition.

The coalition will be co-chaired by two big-name Washington insiders familiar with privacy and data security issues: former Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz of Davis Polk & Wardwell and former Rep Mary Bono Mack (R-CA) of FaegreBD Consulting, who took on privacy and data security policy when she served as chairwoman of the House subcommittee on commerce, manufacturing and trade. Founding members of the new coalition include AT&T, Comcast, CTIA-The Wireless Association, Directv, Time Warner Cable, Verizon, and the U.S. Telecom Association. The coalition will concentrate on updating U.S. privacy and security laws.