Online Services Try Harder to Protect User Data, Watchdog Says - sheildsforlanstry

While whatever online services are stepping up their efforts to protect private exploiter data from government requests, there is plenty room for improvement, the Natural philosophy Frontier Foundation (EFF) said on Th. It is metre for all companies that hold private user information to make public commitments to defend their users against government overreach, the foundation said.

The EFF deliberate the commitment of 18 U.S. companies hosting users' personal data, including Amazon, Facebook, and Microsoft, to protect that data from U.S. regime requests. It examined their privacy policies, footing of service, published law enforcement guides if available, and the track record of companies defensive user privacy in courts.

The companies were awarded stars and fractional stars in 4 categories. The EFF investigated whether users were informed about government data demands, determined whether the companies were transparent about government data requests, whether they were happy to fight for user privacy in courts, and whether the companies were combat-ready to protect user privacy in the U.S. Congress.

The EFF said it was pleased that Facebook, Dropbox, and Twitter receive stepped raised their game since last year, when it published its first describe connected the topic. Chirrup was awarded an extra star because IT started fighting for exploiter seclusion rights in Coitus, and showed more effort to fight for users rights in courts, Hump information showed. The microblog service now has 3.5 stars.

Facebook gained half a ace for being more transparent about government activity requests, bringing its tot adequate 1.5 stars and Dropbox gained two stars for becoming pellucid about authorities requests and telling users about data demands, bringing its total to triad out of four stars.

Transonic.net, an ISP based in California, is the firstborn party to find a full gold virtuoso in each category, the EFF said.

Google maintained its position with two whole and two half stars.

Apple, Microsoft, and AT&T still have one star, for fighting for user privacy in Coitus, while Comcast picked up its first star for protecting its users' privacy in the courts, accordant to the EFF information.

Verizon, Myspace, and Skype unsuccessful to score a star in any of the categories.

"The overall pitiful showing of AT&T, Verizon and Comcast, World Health Organization provide Net connectivity to so many people, is especially troubling," the foundation said.

The Have intercourse added five new companies to the list this year including location based services Straightforwardly and Loopt. Squarely was awarded cardinal stars and Loopt got one for defensive privacy in Congress. "We're hopeful that next year we'll see more protections for users from location services providers like Loopt and Foursquare, since localization information is so oversensitive and more and more sought by the government," the EFF aforesaid.

By publishing the report, the EFF hopes to stimulate companies to improve transparency near what data flows to the politics and to encourage the companies to stand for drug user privacy when it is possible to do so, the origination said.

Loek covers all things technical school for the IDG News Service. Follow him on Twitter at @loekessers or email tips and comments to loek_essers@idg.com.