Companies adapt quickly to the changing technical landscape. Most have focused during the first decade of the 21st century to information security, though many have failed in spectacular ways. What of the demands for advanced privacy practices? As companies have focused on cost controls, hiring vendors and outsourcing processes, have privacy practices been outsourced as well? Are encryption technologies working to protect data or have companies become overly dependent on them as a panacea? Can we improve authentication and authorization protocols while still maintaining convenient access to data and services?
Cross Border Data Flows
Importantly, technology tools have broken down national borders, overwhelming national authorities to set laws and rules that actually protect the individual. Our first project examines the procedures employed by leading multi-national companies when providing services that span the globe, available to virtually any computer on the planet. We are looking for the set of core practices that emerge as common to all, providing both an efficient data management practice as well as providing information privacy and security protections.
Our first report is due for publication in October 2009; we look forward to hearing your reactions.
