=======================================================================
                   E P I C   A l e r t
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Volume 20.25                                         December 20, 2013
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                  Published by the
      Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC)
                  Washington, D.C.

     http://www.epic.org/alert/epic_alert_20.25.html

           "Defend Privacy. Support EPIC."
                http://epic.org/donate


=========================================================================
Table of Contents
=========================================================================

[1] Expert Panel Calls for End of NSA
Bulk Data Collection
[2] Federal Judge Enjoins NSA Telephone Metadata Program
[3] EPIC Files Privacy Complaint to Protect Student
Data
[4] EPIC Appeals Secrecy of Presidential Cybersecurity Directive
[5] EPIC Urges Clarification of NSA's Role in Cybersecurity
[6] News in Brief 
[7] EPIC in the News 
[8] EPIC Holiday Gift Guide
[9] Upcoming Conferences and Events


=========================================================================
[1] Expert Panel Calls for End of NSA Bulk Data Collection
=========================================================================

The President's Review Group on Intelligence has concluded that the 
NSA's collection of bulk telephone records should end. In a
sweeping 
report, "Liberty and Security in a Changing World," the review panel 
set out 46 recommendations, which would limit NSA
surveillance, expand 
judicial oversight, create new transparency requirements, update 
federal privacy laws, and create a new privacy
agency.

"A fundamental theme of this Report," the panel stated,  "is that the 
fact that the intelligence community is able to collect
personal 
information does not mean that it should do so." The Review Group 
emphasized that the government should no longer maintain
the bulk 
collection of telephone records and these records should not be 
accessible without a court order. The group also recommended
that a 
public interest advocate represent the "nation's interests" in 
protecting privacy and civil liberties before the secret
FISC court.

The panel further recommended substantial structural changes to the NSA 
and greater de-classification of the FISC opinions,
concluding that 
information about intelligence activities "should be available on a 
regular basis to Congress and the American
people to the greatest 
extent possible." In addition, the report recommended that National 
Security Letters should be subject to
increased judicial oversight and 
be issued only upon appropriate judicial findings.

The report makes clear the need to get the
National Security Agency out 
of the business of domestic surveillance as well as the need to restore 
judicial oversight over government
access to private information. The 
report also recommends a substantial limit on the practice of spying on 
foreign leaders and
foreign governments.

The Review Group recommended that the Privacy Act of 1974 should be 
applied to both US and non-US persons;
that the US should cease the 
practice of stockpiling software vulnerabilities known as "zero day" 
exploits; and support stronger
encryption practices, for data in 
storage and in communications. 

The panel advocated the establishment of a new Civil Liberties
and 
Privacy Protection Board, similar to the Privacy and Civil Liberties 
Oversight Board, but with more authority and the specific
ability to 
review the activities of the Intelligence Community. This new Board 
would be able to receive whistleblower complaints
and support the 
development of privacy-enhancing technologies.

Earlier in 2013, EPIC met with the review group and submitted extensive

comments to the panel, specifically urging the end of the bulk record 
collection program, which EPIC challenged in the Supreme Court. EPIC 
also urged the creation of comprehensive and detailed reporting 
requirements for FISA authorities and
the creation of a public advocate 
for the secret FISC court. EPIC President Marc Rotenberg said the final 
report was "a blueprint
for restoring privacy in post-9/11 America."


The White House:  "Liberty and Security in a Changing World" (Dec. 2013)
   http://epic.org/redirect/122013-WH-NSA-report.html

ODNI:  Information Sheet on Review Group
   http://www.dni.gov/index.php/intelligence-community/review-group

EPIC:  Recommendations
to President's Review Board (Aug. 13, 2013)
   http://epic.org/privacy/terrorism/fisa/EPIC-IRP-Ltr-8-13.pdf

EPIC:  Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Act
   http://epic.org/privacy/terrorism/fisa/ 

EPIC:  Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Reform Act 
   http://epic.org/privacy/terrorism/fisa/reform/


EPIC:  In re EPIC 
  http://epic.org/privacy/nsa/verizon/ 


========================================================================
[2] Federal Judge Enjoins NSA Telephone Metadata Program
========================================================================

A federal judge in Washington, DC has issued an injunction against the 
NSA's telephone record collection program. Judge Richard
J. Leon ruled 
in the case Klayman v. Obama that the plaintiffs "have a substantial 
likelihood of showing that their privacy interest
outweigh the 
Government's interest in collecting and analyzing bulk telephony 
metadata and therefore the NSA's Bulk Metadata program
is indeed an 
unreasonable search under the Fourth Amendment." 

Judge Leon also stressed that "While Congress has great latitude
to 
create statutory schemes like FISA, it may not hang a cloak of secrecy 
over the Constitution." Furthermore, Judge Leon stated, "I cannot 
possibly navigate these uncharted Fourth Amendment waters using as my 
North Star a
case that predates the rise of cellphones."

This is the first court opinion issued on the controversial 
surveillance program. In
July 2013, EPIC filed a petition in the US 
Supreme Court challenging the legality of the program, but the Court 
chose not to hear
the case. The district court's decision will be 
stayed pending an appeal by the government to the DC Circuit Court 
of Appeals.



EPIC:  Decision in Klayman v. Obama (Dec. 16,  2013)
   http://epic.org/privacy/nsa/Klayman-v-Obama.pdf

EPIC:  Petition to US
Supreme Court re: NSA (Jul. 8, 2013)    
   http://epic.org/EPIC-FISC-Mandamus-Petition.pdf 

EPIC:  In re EPIC
  http://epic.org/privacy/nsa/in-re-epic/

EPIC:  NSA: Verizon Phone Record Monitoring
  http://epic.org/privacy/nsa/verizon/ 


=========================================================================
[3] EPIC Files Privacy Complaint to Protect Student Data
=========================================================================

EPIC has filed an extensive complaint with the Federal Trade Commission 
over the business practices of scholarships.com, which
encourages users 
to divulge sensitive medical, sexual, and religious information in 
order to obtain financial aid and scholarship
opportunities. 

The company that owns scholarships.com claims that it uses 
student-provided data to locate scholarships and financial
aid. 
Scholarships.com, however, transfers the data to a business affiliate, 
American Student Marketing, which in turn sells it
for general 
marketing purposes - a policy that EPIC alleges is "unfair and 
deceptive". EPIC's complaint also alleges that scholarships.com's

failure to use reasonable security practices is an unfair trade 
practice, and EPIC has asked the FTC to require the company to
change 
business practices. 

Scholarships.com requires consumers to disclose name, gender, 
birthdate, current school year, year
of financial need, grade point 
average, email address, and home address to use the website services. 
It also encourages student
consumers to disclose citizenship status, 
religious affiliation, and sexual orientation, as well as seeking 
sensitive health information,
including whether students have ADD/ADHD, 
hepatitis, cancer-related medical issues, addiction, digestive or 
mental impairments,
or are clinically depressed or overweight. 

EPIC's complaint alleges that scholarships.com has engaged in deceptive 
trade practices
because the company misrepresents how it will use 
student scholarships.com represents that it will protect the security 
of students'
personal data, when in fact the site fails to enable 
reasonable data security practices, like HTTPS and HSTS (the website 
switched
to HTTPS in December after becoming aware of EPIC's complaint). 
EPIC similarly states that scholarships.com's disclosure of sensitive

student health information constitutes an unfair trade practice 
because "[y]oung adults afflicted with illness and in need of financial

support are a particularly vulnerable subset of the population." 
Finally, EPIC maintains that scholarships.com's failure to use

reasonable data security practices constitutes an unfair trade practice.

EPIC has a longstanding involvement with FTC complaints
concerning 
minors. In 2013, EPIC filed an FTC complaint against Snapchat, 
alleging that Snapchat misrepresents that user photos
will be deleted 
after a designated period of time. Also in 2013, EPIC urged Congress to 
restore privacy protections for student
data following recent changes 
to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, and was also joined 
by several leading privacy
and consumer-protection organizations in 
urging the FTC to block changes to Facebook's recent privacy policy, 
which implicated
the privacy rights of minors.


EPIC:  In the Matter of Scholarships.com, LLC (Dec. 12, 2013)
   http://epic.org/privacy/student/EPIC-FTC-Compl-Scholarships.com.pdf

Scholarships.com
   https://www.scholarships.com/main.aspx

American Student Marketing
   http://www.americanstudentmarketing.us/

EPIC:  Letter to Congress re: Student Privacy (Oct. 9, 2013)
   http://epic.org/apa/ferpa/EPIC-ED-Student-Privacy-Letter.pdf

EPIC:  EPIC v. The U.S. Department of Education
   http://epic.org/apa/ferpa/

EPIC:  Student Privacy
   http://epic.org/privacy/student/

EPIC:  In the Matter of Snapchat, Inc. (May 16, 2013)
   http://epic.org/privacy/ftc/EPIC-Snapchat-Complaint.pdf

EPIC et al.: 
Facebook's Changes Re: Sponsored Stories (Sept. 4, 2013)
   http://epic.org/privacy/ftc/Privacy-Grps-FTC-tr-9-13.pdf


=========================================================================
[4] EPIC Appeals Secrecy of Presidential Cybersecurity Directive
=========================================================================

EPIC has filed a notice of appeal in EPIC v. NSA, a case in which the 
National Security Agency withheld NSPD 54, a Presidential
Directive 
setting out the scope of the NSA's authority over US computer networks. 
The Directive was widely distributed to agency
heads, presidential 
advisers, and other government officials. However, the NSA has refused 
to release the document to the public.

EPIC first filed a Freedom of Information Act request in June 2009, 
asking the NSA to disclose the text of NSPD 54. The NSA told EPIC that 
it had located responsive documents,
but refused to release them. EPIC 
then filed a lawsuit to compel release of the Directive. Both EPIC and 
the NSA briefed the issue
of whether the agency could withhold the 
document as a confidential presidential communication. Surprisingly, 
Judge Beryl Howell
ruled that the Directive was not even subject to the 
FOIA because it was not under "the control" of the NSA. This is the 
only time
a federal court has ruled that presidential directives in the 
possession of federal agencies are not subject to the FOIA.  Judge

Howell relied on a recent DC Circuit case, Judicial Watch v. US Secret 
Service, to support her conclusion.  

EPIC believes that
the court misapplied the Judicial Watch decision, 
which concerned White House visitor logs and had no relevance to 
Presidential
Directives. If Presidential Directives are excluded from 
the FOIA, the Executive Branch gains the potential to issue secret 
law
- the very thing that the FOIA seeks to prevent.

Judge Howell appeared to recognize this risk, and quoted directly from 
EPIC's
brief about the dangers of excluding Presidential Directives 
from the FOIA. Judge Howell also noted that the DC Circuit Court of

Appeals "has cautioned that Congress 'indicated unequivocally that 
the purpose of [FOIA] was to forbid secret law. And substantive

declarations of policy are clearly "law" within the meaning of that 
prohibition.'"

On the same day that EPIC filed the notice
of appeal with the DC 
Circuit Court, another district court judge ruled that a 
Presidential Directive concerning foreign aid -
one that the White 
House sought to keep hidden from the public - was subject to the 
FOIA, and had to be released. Noting the recent
decision in EPIC v. 
NSA, the presiding judge found that a Presidential Directive is 
exactly the type of record that the FOIA was
designed to disclose.  


EPIC:  EPIC v. NSA, Notice of Appeal (Dec. 17, 2013)
   https://epic.org/privacy/nsa/Notice-Appeal.pdf

EPIC:  Opinion in EPIC v. NSA (Oct. 21, 2013)
   https://epic.org/foia/nsa/NSPD_54_Opinion.pdf

EPIC:  Initial Complaint in EPIC
v. NSA (Feb. 4, 2010)
   https://epic.org/foia/NSPD54_complaint.pdf

EPIC:  Initial FOIA Request to NSA re: NSPD 54 (Jul. 25, 2009)
   http://epic.org/privacy/nsa/NSPD54_FOIA_request.pdf

EPIC:  EPIC v. NSA - Cybersecurity Authority
   https://epic.org/privacy/nsa/epic_v_nsa.html


========================================================================
[5] EPIC Urges Clarification of NSA's Role in Cybersecurity
========================================================================

EPIC has submitted comments on the National Institute of
Standards and 
Technology's (NIST's) preliminary proposal for a cybersecurity 
framework. Pursuant to Executive Order 13636, the
federal agency is 
charged with defining a "cybersecurity framework" for the federal 
government. The Executive Order requires privacy
and civil liberty 
protections based on the Fair Information Practices.

EPIC's comments praised the preliminary cybersecurity framework
for its 
focus on minimizing the use of Personally Identifiable Information and 
requiring transparency around cybersecurity practices.
EPIC also 
commended NIST's "focus on privacy and civil liberties from the outset" 
of the framework's development.

However, EPIC
noted, EPIC's previous recommendations to the agency on 
the development of the framework were not addressed. EPIC reiterated 
earlier
comments that emphasized civilian control, adherence to the 
Fair Information Practices, and compliance with the Privacy and 
Freedom
of Information Act. EPIC also urged NIST to "inform the public 
of the full extent of the NSA's involvement in the Cybersecurity 
Framework."

In light
of recent revelations that the National Security Agency has 
weakened key encryption security standards, NIST has re-opened several

standards for further public comment; however, EPIC's comments state, 
"NIST has never publicly revealed the role the NSA played
in setting 
these standards, or if the NSA asserted influence over any other 
regularly accepted standards."

EPIC is currently involved
in a Freedom of Information lawsuit against 
the NSA. That lawsuit seeks the release of National Security 
Presidential Directive
54. The Directive grants broad authority over 
the security of American computer networks but has never been made 
public.


EPIC:
 Comments to NIST re: Cybersecurity Framework (Dec. 13, 2013)
   http://epic.org/redirect/122013-EPIC-NIST-comments.html

The White
House:  Executive Order 13636 (Feb. 19, 2013)
   http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-02-19/pdf/2013-03915.pdf

NIST:  RFC on Preliminary
Cybsercurity Framework (Oct. 29, 2013)
   http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-10-29/pdf/2013-25566.pdf

NIST:  Preliminary Cybersecurity
Framework 
   122013-NIST-cyber-framework.html

NIST:  Cryptographic Standards Statement (Sept. 10, 2013)
   http://www.nist.gov/director/cybersecuritystatement-091013.cfm

EPIC:  EPIC v. NSA - Cybersecurity Authority
   http://epic.org/privacy/nsa/epic_v_nsa.html

========================================================================
[6] News in Brief
========================================================================

Authors Issue Declaration Against Mass
Surveillance

More than 500 leading writers from around the world have endorsed the 
declaration "A Stand for Democracy in the Digital
Age." The Writers 
against Mass Surveillance stated, "A person under surveillance is no 
longer free; a society under surveillance
is no longer a democracy." 
The declaration was issued on December 10, 2013, International Human 
Rights Day. Article 12 of the UN's
Universal Declaration of Human 
Rights establishes privacy as fundamental right. EPIC has urged the 
United States to ratify Council
of Europe Convention 108 -- the 
Privacy Convention. 


Writers Against Mass Surveillance:  Declaration (Dec. 10, 2013)
   http://www.authorsforpeace.com/

UN:  Universal Declaration of Human Rights
   http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml#a12

The Public Voice:  The Madrid
Declaration (Nov. 2009)
   http://thepublicvoice.org/madrid-declaration/

EPIC:  Council of Europe Privacy Convention
   http://epic.org/privacy/intl/coeconvention/



EPIC Supports Petition Urging FCC to Protect Phone Record Privacy

EPIC has joined a petition to the Federal Communications Commission,

organized by the group Public Knowledge, that asks the FCC to rule 
that "AT&T is in violation of Section 222" of the federal 
Communications
Act "because it sells individually identifiable call 
Records to the C.I.A., companies, and other entities without 
customers' consent."
In November 2013, EPIC urged the FCC to determine 
whether AT&T violated the Communications Act when the telephony 
provider sold
private consumer call-detail information to the Drug 
Enforcement Administration and Central Intelligence Agency. In June 
2013,
following the initial Snowden disclosures, EPIC wrote to the FCC 
to explain that Verizon had likely violated the Communications
Act 
when it disclosed telephone records to the NSA. EPIC has long 
supported the FCC's consumer privacy enforcement authority, filing

"friend of the court" briefs in significant cases, including US West v. 
FCC and NCTA v. FCC, to defend the agency's privacy regulations.



Public Knowledge et al.:  Petition to FCC re: AT&T (Dec. 11, 2013)
   http://epic.org/redirect/122013-public-knowledge-petition.html

EPIC:  Letter to FCC re: AT&T (Nov. 15, 2013)
   http://epic.org/privacy/terrorism/fisa/EPIC-FCC-Wheeler-Ltr.pdf

EPIC:  Letter to FCC re: Verizon (Jun. 11, 2013)
   http://epic.org/privacy/terrorism/fisa/EPIC-FCC-re-Verizon.pdf

EPIC:  US West v. FCC
  
http://epic.org/privacy/litigation/uswest/	

EPIC:  NCTA v. FCC
   http://epic.org/privacy/nctafcc/

EPIC:  CPNI (Customer Proprietary
Network Information)
   http://epic.org/privacy/cpni/

EPIC: Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)
   http://epic.org/privacy/terrorism/fisa/



EPIC's Stepanovich Named as Co-Chair for 2014 CFP Conference

The 2014 Computers, Freedom & Privacy conference will be co-chaired
by 
EPIC's Amie Stepanovich. Stepanovich is the Director of EPIC's Domestic 
Surveillance Project, and the third EPIC staff member
to co-chair CFP. 
The first CFP conference was held in San Francisco in 1991 under the 
auspices of the Computer Professionals for
Social Responsibility, and 
was the first conference that brought together the law enforcement and 
hacker communities, along with
technical experts, legal scholars, and 
policy makers, to explore the world of "cyberspace." A sister 
conference, Computers, Privacy
& Data Protection, will be held in 
Brussels in January 2014. CFP 2014 will be held in Washington, DC. 


EPIC:  Amie Stepanovich
   http://epic.org/epic/staff_and_board.html#stepanovich

Computers, Freedom & Privacy
   http://www.cfp.org

First Computers, Freedom
& Privacy Conference (Mar. 1991)
   http://cpsr.org/prevsite/conferences/cfp91/home.html/

Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility
   http://cpsr.org/

7th International Computers, Privacy & Data Protection Conf. (Jan. 2014)
   http://www.cpdpconferences.org



Senate Confirms Judge Wald for Privacy Oversight Board

The US Senate has confirmed the reappointment of Judge Patricia M. Wald

to the President's Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board. Judge 
Wald's current term was set to expire in January 2014. In
2012, EPIC 
recommended that the Oversight Board, consistent with its mandate, 
pursue a broad agenda, including (1) suspension of
the Fusion Center 
Program; (2) limiting closed-circuit television surveillance; (3) 
eliminating the use of body scanners; (4) establishing
privacy 
regulations for drones; (5) improving Information Sharing Environment 
(ISE) and Suspicious Activity Reporting (SARS) Standards;
and (6) 
Privacy Act adherence. More recently, EPIC addressed the Board at a 
workshop on NSA surveillance. In response to a public
rulemaking, EPIC 
also provided extensive comments on a proposed rule governing the 
Board's Freedom of Information Act practices. The Board adopted nearly 
all of EPIC's recommendations on transparency. 


Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT):  Press Release
on Judge Wald (Dec. 13, 2013)
   http://epic.org/redirect/122013-leahy-wald.html

Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB)
   http://www.pclob.gov/

EPIC:  Statement to PCLOB on Domestic Surveillance (Jul. 9, 2013)
   http://epic.org/privacy/oversight/EPIC-PCLOB-Statement.pdf

PCLOB:  Workshop on Domestic Surveillance (Jul. 9, 2013)
   http://www.pclob.gov/9-july-2013

EPIC:  Comments to PCLOB on FOIA (Jul.
15, 2013)
   http://epic.org/open_gov/EPIC-PCLOB-FOIA.pdf	

EPIC:  Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
   http://epic.org/privacy/terrorism/fisa/

EPIC:  Open Government
   http://epic.org/open_gov/



'Privacy' Is 2013 dictionary.com Word of the Year

Dictionary.com has named
"privacy" the 2013 Word of the Year. Noting 
the Snowden disclosures about NSA surveillance, the release of Google 
Glass, and the
changing privacy policies of Internet companies, 
dictionary.com wrote, "The discussion of privacy - what it is and what 
it isn't
- embodies the preeminent concerns of 2013." According to The 
Washington Post, however, "Dictionary.com dubs 'privacy' their word
of 
the year. But visiting their homepage sets 90 cookies."


Dictionary.com:  Word of the Year Infographic
   http://blog.dictionary.com/infographic-privacy/

The Washington Post:  Post on Dictionary.com and Cookies (Dec. 18, 2013)
   http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2013/12/18/
   dictionary-com-dubs-privacy-their-word-of-the-year-but-visiting-
   their-homepage-sets-90-cookies/

========================================================================
[7] EPIC in the News
========================================================================

"Facebook ads are getting eerily personal."
[Video] CNN Money, Dec. 18,
2013.
   http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2013/12/18/facebook-consumer-
   data-privacy-customize-online-ads.cnnmoney

"Court Rebukes White House Over 'Secret Law'." Secrecy News, Dec. 18,
2013.
   http://blogs.fas.org/secrecy/2013/12/ppd-secret-law/

"After Ruling Critical of N.S.A., Uncertain Terrain for Appeal." The
New York Times, Dec. 17, 2013.
   http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/18/us/politics/after-ruling-
   critical-of-nsa-uncertain-terrain-for-appeal.html?_r=0

"Judge Questions Legality of N.S.A. Phone Records." The New York Times,
Dec. 16, 2013.
   http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/17/us/politics/federal-judge-rules-
   against-nsa-phone-data-program.html?hp&_r=0

"Federal judge rules against NSA spying." USA Today, Dec. 16, 2013.
   http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/16/judge-nsa-
   surveillance-fourth-amendment/4041995/

"Scholarship Site Gives Info To Marketer, EPIC Tells FTC." Law360,
Dec. 13, 2013.
   http://www.law360.com/articles/495777/scholarship-site-gives-info-
   to-marketer-epic-tells-ftc

"U.S. schools' approach to student data threatens privacy: study."
Reuters, Dec. 13, 2013.
   http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/13/us-usa-education-privacy-
   idUSBRE9BC10320131213

"D.C. electronic privacy center talks surveillance, how much information 
government can access." Medill
National Security Zone, Dec. 11, 2013.
   http://nationalsecurityzone.org/site/d-c-electronic-privacy-center-
   talks-surveillance-how-much-information-government-can-access/

"Silicon Valley to DC: Curb Your Surveillance [Video]." Bloomberg, 
Dec. 9, 2013.
   http://www.bloomberg.com/video/silicon-valley-to-dc-curb-your-
   surveillance-DMky64i_SdOwxEMcqzJvTw.html


For More EPIC in the News: http://epic.org/news/epic_in_news.html

========================================================================
[8] EPIC Holiday Gift Guide
======================================================================== 

With the holiday season upon
us, EPIC is happy to help you find the 
perfect gift for the privacy activists on your shopping list. Here are 
some of our favorites.
As always, take care to protect your personal 
information when shopping online! Enjoy, and happy holidays from EPIC.

1. "Crypto is EPIC" T-shirt.
Show your privacy pride and love of 
  encryption. Bonus points for binary translation.
   http://epicprivacy.propellshops.com/index.php?main_page=product_
   info&products_id=98747&zenid=r2ou7ji1d0f0gqufpcfl83t4u4" 

2. "Privacy: the Game." Enjoy your time at home with your loved ones
by 
  playing "Privacy". Laugh about how the NSA knows more about you than 
  your close friends and family. Then cry.
   http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/9354/privacy

3. Webcam Cover. What, you say? Computer cameras can be remotely 
  activated? Keep your private life private by covering up your
lenses 
  at home.
   http://camjamr.com/

4. "Privacy, Please" Nail Polish. OPI puts privacy in a bottle with 
  this polish shade,
which demonstrates that privacy can be pretty.
   http://www.amazon.com/OPI-Privacy-Please/dp/B00139R0MI

5. "Carry On," by Bruce
Schneier. EPIC Advisory Board member Bruce 
  Schneier's newest book features commentaries and lessons learned on 
  recent events.
   http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1118790812.html

6. Venetian Mask. Everyone will think you're the most fashionable

  person at the New Year's Eve masquerade. Only you have to know 
  you're also secretly foiling facial recognition technologies.
   http://www.vivomasks.com/

7. Magic Wallet. Bitcoin may be the next cool thing, but you can't 
  forget to keep your credit cards
protected. With a magic wallet you 
  can make them disappear.
   http://www.magicalwallet.com/

8. OFF Pocket. A pre-made Faraday
Cage for your phone, OFF Pocket 
  prevents any signal from coming in or going out.
   https://offpocket.com/

9. Kitty Kabana. Pets
need privacy, too. Give your fur babies some 
  downtime with this litter box tent. Do they print magazines in cat?
   http://epic.org/redirect/kitty-kabana.html

10. "Person of Interest: The Complete Third Season." "Person of 
   Interest" was born out of an article on the NSA's Total Information

   Awareness program, formally de-funded in 2003 (but we all know the 
   truth now, right?).
   http://epic.org/redirect/122013-person-of-interest.html


-- Amie Stepanovich

=======================================
EPIC Bookstore
=======================================

"Litigation
Under the Federal Open Government Laws 2010," edited by
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================================

"Information Privacy Law: Cases and Materials, Second Edition" Daniel J.
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This clear, comprehensive introduction to the field of information
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The
Second Edition addresses numerous rapidly developing areas of privacy
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Information Privacy Law, Second Edition, builds a cohesive foundation
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================================

"Privacy & Human Rights 2006: An International Survey of Privacy Laws
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This annual report by EPIC and Privacy International provides an
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Privacy & Human Rights 2006 is the most comprehensive report
on privacy
and data protection ever published.

================================

"The Public Voice WSIS Sourcebook: Perspectives
on the World Summit on
the Information Society" (EPIC 2004). Price: $40.

http://www.epic.org/bookstore/pvsourcebook

This resource
promotes a dialogue on the issues, the outcomes, and the
process of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). This
reference
guide provides the official UN documents, regional and
issue-oriented perspectives, and recommendations and proposals for
future
action, as well as a useful list of resources and contacts for
individuals and organizations that wish to become more involved in
the
WSIS process.

================================

"The Privacy Law Sourcebook 2004: United States Law, International Law,
and
Recent Developments," Marc Rotenberg, editor (EPIC 2005). Price:
$40.

http://www.epic.org/bookstore/pls2004/

The Privacy Law Sourcebook,
which has been called the "Physician's Desk
Reference" of the privacy world, is the leading resource for students,
attorneys, researchers,
and journalists interested in pursuing privacy
law in the United States and around the world. It includes the full
texts of major
privacy laws and directives such as the Fair Credit
Reporting Act, the Privacy Act, and the OECD Privacy Guidelines, as well
as an
up-to-date section on recent developments. New materials include
the APEC Privacy Framework, the Video Voyeurism Prevention Act,
and the
CAN-SPAM Act.

================================

"Filters and Freedom 2.0: Free Speech Perspectives on Internet Content
Controls"
(EPIC 2001). Price: $20.

http://www.epic.org/bookstore/filters2.0

A collection of essays, studies, and critiques of Internet content
filtering. These papers are instrumental in explaining why filtering
threatens free expression.

================================

EPIC publications and other books on privacy, open government, free
expression, and constitutional values can be ordered at:

EPIC
Bookstore:  http://www.epic.org/bookstore

================================

EPIC also publishes EPIC FOIA Notes, which provides
brief summaries of
interesting documents obtained from government agencies under the
Freedom of Information Act.

Subscribe to EPIC FOIA Notes at:
http://mailman.epic.org/mailman/listinfo/foia_notes

=======================================================================
[9] Upcoming Conferences and Events
=======================================================================

Technology Policy Institute
Presents "The Big Data Revolution: 
Privacy Considerations." Washington, DC, 15 January 2014.
For More Information:  http://techpolicyinstitute.org/events/
register/112.html.

"Big Data and Security in Europe: Challenges and Opportunities." 
Speaker: EPIC President Marc Rotenberg. Brussels,
January 21, 2014.
For More Information:  http://epic.org/2014/01/big-data-and-security-
in-europ.html.

"Privacy in the Networked
World," featuring EPIC Appellate Advocacy
Counsel Alan Butler.  Waikoloa, Hawaii, January 26, 2014. For More
Information:  http://www.alaskatel.org/Flyer2.pdf.

Fourth Annual International Summit on the Future of Health Privacy.
Washington, DC, June 4-5, 2014. For More Information:  
http://patientprivacyrights.org/summit/.

IEEE Presents "Reintroducing Norbert Wiener in the 21st Century."
Boston, 24-26 June 2014. For More Information:  
http://21stcenturywiener.org.

=======================================================================
Join EPIC on Facebook and Twitter
=======================================================================

Join the Electronic Privacy Information Center on Facebook and Twitter:

http://facebook.com/epicprivacy

http://epic.org/facebook

http://twitter.com/epicprivacy

Start a discussion on privacy. Let us know your thoughts. Stay up to
date with EPIC's events. Support
EPIC.

=======================================================================
Privacy Policy
=======================================================================

The EPIC Alert mailing list is used only to mail the EPIC Alert and to
send notices about EPIC activities. We do not sell, rent
or share our
mailing list. We also intend to challenge any subpoena or other legal
process seeking access to our mailing list. We
do not enhance (link to
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In the event you wish to subscribe or unsubscribe
your e-mail address
from this list, please follow the above instructions under "subscription
information."

=======================================================================
About EPIC
=======================================================================

The Electronic Privacy Information Center is
a public interest research
center in Washington, DC. It was established in 1994 to focus public
attention on emerging privacy issues
such as the Clipper Chip, the
Digital Telephony proposal, national ID cards, medical record privacy,
and the collection and sale
of personal information. EPIC publishes the
EPIC Alert, pursues Freedom of Information Act litigation, and conducts
policy research. For more information, see http://www.epic.org or write
EPIC, 1718 Connecticut Ave. NW,
Suite 200, Washington, DC 20009. +1 202
483 1140 (tel), +1 202 483 1248 (fax).

=======================================================================
Donate to EPIC
=======================================================================

If you'd like to support the work of the
Electronic Privacy Information
Center, contributions are welcome and fully tax-deductible. Checks
should be made out to "EPIC" and
sent to 1718 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite
200, Washington, DC 20009. Or you can contribute online at:

http://www.epic.org/donate

Your contributions will help support Freedom of Information Act and
First Amendment litigation, strong and effective advocacy for the right
of privacy and efforts to oppose government and private-sector
infringement on constitutional values.

Thank you for your support.

=======================================================================
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=======================================================================

Subscribe/unsubscribe via web interface:
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