Protection of Privacy and Transparency
February 25, 2017
OECD Health Ministerial
On 17th January 2017, the OECD has held a Meeting of the Health Committee at Ministerial Level on The Next Generation of Health Reforms. The discussion at the meeting included relevant developments in health systems, such as new technologies, the emergence of personalised medicine and big data. The CSISAC welcomes the recognition by the OECD of the need to develop a people-centered health systems, and also about the need to protect the privacy of citizens to harness the potential benefits of digitalisation.
Health Data Governance
At the Ministerial, the OECD released the Recommendation on Health Data Governance, developed in a multi-stakeholder approach with the participation of the CSISAC. This recommendation reflects international consensus on a set of guiding conditions for governing personal, sensitive health data both domestically and transnationally to develope knowledge-driven health systems potential of health data to improve clinical practice, research, health system management and surveillance. The CSISAC will continue monitoring this framework to ensure privacy and data protection in the development of health systems public policy.
New Health Technolgies
Also in the context of the Ministerial, the OECD released a new report on New Health Technologies. This report discusses the need for an integrated and cyclical approach to managing health technology in order to mitigate clinical and financial risks, and ensure acceptable value for money. In addition to the role of the health technologies, the final chapter of the report examines how health systems can make better use of health data and digital technologies. The chapter reviews the opportunities and risks related to health data, including explicit references and sections to the role of privacy and data protection. The CSISAC recognises the relevance of the work on health data, and welcomes the approach of the OECD in recognising the role of privacy and data protection.
January 23, 2017
The OECD has released the Recommendation on Health Data Governance. The CSISAC thanks the OECD for the opportunity to take part in the dialogue that lead to the final text, including the participation in the Advisory Committee on Health Data, and the meetings at the OECD Committee on Digital Economy Policy (CDEP). The text of the recommendation can be found in the OECD site about Health Governance, together with other related documents.
June 10, 2015
The OECD has started a project to develop a Recommendation on Privacy-Protective Approaches for the Use of Health Data. This work will be pursued as a joint initiative of the Health Care Quality Indicator Group (HCQI), a subsidiary body of the OECD's Health Committee, and the Working Party on Security and Privacy in the Digital Economy (SPDE) under the umbrella of the Health Committee and the Committee on the Digital Economy and Policy (CDEP) respectively.
An Advisory Group has been constituted for this purpose. As a follow up of the previous work on the OECD Advisory Panel on Health Information Infrastructure, the OECD has invited CSISAC members Robert Gellman and Bruce Arnold, member as well of the CSISAC Steering Committee. In addition, the Steering Committee of CSISAC nominated Deborah Peel, Ross Anderson and Pam Dixon to participate in that working group.
September 30, 2013
The OECD has released a new publication titled "The Internet Economy on the Rise: Progress since the Seoul Declaration." This publication reviews progress made since the 2008 OECD Seoul Declaration for the Future of the Internet Economy and identifies areas for future work. Seven themes are addressed: high-speed infrastructure; digital content and green ICTs; the development of smarter applications; cybersecurity and privacy; consumer empowerment and protection; an open Internet economy; and global participation for development.
June 23, 2014
Speaking at a high level meeting on Internet Policy Making, CSISAC Steering Committee member and EPIC President Marc Rotenberg urged the OECD to examine the impact dominant Internet firms may have on the future of innovation and freedom. Citing the Charter of the OECD Civil Society Council, Rotenberg said "dominant Internet firms are moving to consolidate their control over the Internet. It is vitally important for the OECD to develop a better understanding of the challenge industry consolidations pose to the open Internet." The OECD is well known for the International Privacy Guidelines and is currently updating the Security Guidelines, which establish a global framework for managing cyber risks. A Ministerial meeting meeting will be held in Mexico in 2016.
January 6, 2014
In December 2013, the OECD Committee on Digital Economy Policy (CDEP, formerly ICCP) agreed to revise the 2002 Recommendation of the Council concerning Guidelines for the Security of Information Systems and Networks: Towards a Culture of Security (Security Guidelines).
December 11, 2014
CSISAC was invited to participate in the OECD's Technology Foresight Forum 2014 on the Internet of Things. Also known as the Internet of Everything or the Industrial Internet, the Internet of Things (IoT) is a term applied to the next 50 billion machines and devices that will go online in the coming two decades. The goal of the forum was to inform policy makers of the technical developments that will influence issues in the near and longer-term future. CSISAC member Claire Milne attended the forum on behalf of CSISAC.
February 23, 2010
The 28th meeting of the Working Party on Information Security and Privacy (WPISP) will be held on 8-9 March, 2010. The meeting will address several important issues of interest to CSISAC members such as identity management, the protection of children online, the 30th Anniversary of the OECD privacy guidelines. The 59th meeting of the Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy meeting (ICCP) will be held on March 10-11, 2010. Topics to be discussed are ICT & green growth, ICT & innovation, internet intermediaries: policy implications, among other topics.
Marc Rotenberg, Anna Fielder, CSISAC Steering Committee Members, and Katitza Rodriguez, CSISAC Liaison will attend the meeting.
February 1, 2010
The year 2010 marks the 30th Anniversary of the OECD Privacy Guidelines. The Guidelines consist of eight principles that have provided the basis for national laws, international agreements, and privacy frameworks that have been adopted around the world. In the Civil Society Seoul Declaration, CSISAC reaffirmed "its support for the OECD Privacy Guidelines as a fundamental policy instrument setting out minimal requirements for the transborder flow of personal data."
To commemorate the anniversary, OECD has planned several events for 2010:
- March 10: OECD Roundtable on the impact of the Privacy Guidelines, Paris, France;
- October 25-26: Privacy, Technology and Global Data Flows, Jerusalem, Israel. The event will be hosted by the Israeli Law, Information and Technology Authority, and held together with the 32nd International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners Meeting.
- December 1: The theme will focus on the economics and human rights dimension of Privacy, Paris, France.
On January 28, International Privacy Day, CSISAC Steering Committee Member EPIC presented the 2010 International Privacy Champion Award to the Honorable Michael Kirby for his role in the development of the OECD Privacy Guidelines. For more information: OECD: The 30th Anniversary of the OECD Privacy Guidelines.
January 31, 2010
The OECD Secretariat has released the report "Smart Sensor Networks: Technologies and Applications for Green Growth." The report gives an overview of sensor technology and fields of application of sensors and sensor networks. It discusses in detail selected fields of application that have high potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reviews studies quantifying the environmental impact. For more information: OECD: ICTs, the Environment and Climate Change.
January 21, 2010
The CSISAC has submitted a series of recommendations to the OECD Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy (ICCP) and its working parties on a variety of Internet Policy issues.
ICT and the Environment: CSISAC stressed the importance of innovation and the adoption of ICT applications for the monitoring and management of environmental challenges, such as "smart" ICT applications. CSISAC urges the expansion of dialogue among all stakeholders regarding privacy implications of "smart" ICT. CSISAC also stressed the importance of data protection in every field of application of sensor networks, and any other tracking technology.
Internet Intermediaries: The document highlights civil society concerns on legal approaches to intermediary liability. As noted in the Seoul Declaration, OECD Member countries should "maintain a balanced framework for intellectual property protection that is least intrusive to personal privacy, least restrictive for the development of new technologies, and that promotes creativity, innovation, and learning."
Internet and the News: CSISAC believes that a strong and independent news industry can be an important contributor to robust democracy. CSISAC believes that any policy recommendations that are not based on common standards present in all OECD member countries' copyright and other related laws should be avoided. CSISAC believes that this will assist OECD member governments in thoughtful policy development which respects the important social role played by journalists and the news industry, while preserving opportunities for emerging new forms of citizen journalism and Internet innovation.
IPV6: CSISAC submitted comments on the co-existence of two incompatible Internet standards, IPv4 and IPv6. CSISAC encourages the OECD to consider undertaking more in-depth analysis on the economic and policy implications of an extended migration period in which IPv4 address scarcity is a continuing factor in the Internet supply industry. "There may or may not be cost burdens created by the transition, or negative impacts on competition, diversity and innovation on the Internet. But these problems have not been clearly documented and explained", the statement noted. CSISAC encourages a more direct consideration of policy alternatives to IPv6 in light of inadequate rates of IPv6 deployment and the realities the Internet community faces due to the lack of backwards compatibility between IPv6 and IPv4.
October 14, 2009
CSISAC had the opportunity to present its views on the ICCP Technology Foresight Forum, Cloud Computing and Public Policy at the panel on Portability, Competition, Innovation, and Consumer Protection held on Paris, France on October 14, 2009. CSISAC's comments were provided by Katitza Rodriguez, CSISAC Liaison.
October 7, 2009
The Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will host a series of meeting from October 12-16, 2009 in Paris, France.
The 27th Meeting of the Working Party on Information Security and Privacy (WPISP) will be held in October 12-13. From Emerging Privacy issues to portability, competition, and innovation, the ICCP Technology Foresight Forum on Cloud Computing will be held on October 15. A briefing Paper on Cloud Computing and Public Policy prepared for the Forum has been released.
The 58th session of the Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy will be held at the OECD Headquarters in October 15-16, 2009.
The Civil Society Information Society Advisory Council will be represented by Gus Hosein from Privacy International, Gwen Hinze, International Policy Director Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), and member of CSISAC Steering Committee, and Katitza Rodriguez, CSISAC Liaison, and International Privacy Director Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC).
September 22, 2009
Civil Society participants at the OECD Ministerial Meeting on the Future on the Internet affirmed "that the policy goals for the Future of the Internet should be considered within the broader framework of protection of human rights, the promotion of democratic institutions, and the provision of affordable and non-discriminatory access to advanced communication infrastructures and services. Economic growth should be for the many and not the few. The Internet should be available to all."
August 11, 2009
On September 10-11, 2009 the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Information for Development Program (infoDev) / World Bank are organizing a joint workshop on ICT for Development.
According to OECD's website: "Information communication technologies (ICTs)s are crucial to reducing poverty, improving access to health and education services and creating new sources of income and employment for the poor." (...) "But there are substantial discrepancies in access to ICTs between countries, particularly at the North-South level, but also within countries, depending on key factors such as gender, rural coverage, skills and educational levels."
This workshop aims to share best practices in:
* Access to ICTs and the Internet
* Broadband policy and development
* Access to ICT payment and remittance services
* Cross border co-operation and security
* ICTs and the environment
* ICTs for education
Karen Banks, Network Development Manager, Association for Progressive Communications (APC), CSISAC member, will speak at the "Access to ICTs and the Internet" panel.
The full information of the event is available online
August 4, 2009
On December 8-10, 2009, the OECD will held the Conference on Empowering E-Consumers: Strengthening Consumer Protection in the Internet Economy in Washington, D.C. The Draft Programme as at 29 July 2009 is available online.
June 14, 2009
"Using Sensor-based Networks to Address Global Issues: Policy Opportunities and Challenges" was the title of an experts conference that the OECD organized on June 8-9, 2009, which was hosted by Portugal and took place in Lisbon.
The goal of the Conference was to help policy makers:
- Understand Sensor-Based Networks and their potential contribution to economic and social welfare,
- Identify how to further stimulate innovation in this area and foster the development of these technologies where they are needed the most and are the most promising.
Andreas Krisch, President of European Digital Rights (EDRI), member of CSISAC attended the meeting, and wrote the following report about the meeting.
June 14, 2009
The Working Party on Internet Economy (WPIE) will be held on June 17-18 in Paris, France. This Committee focuses on digital content, ICT diffusion to business, ICT-enabled offshoring, ICT skills and employment, the publication of the OECD Information Technology Outlook, and ICTs and the Environment.
Some topics that this Committee addressed are:
- Economic impacts of broadband; Digital broadband content (public sector information, film and video, online advertising); Access and distribution to digital content, including user generated content; content protection, mobile commerce; RFID and other sensors.
Some issues that might be of interest of CSISAC members are:
- Balance Intellectual Property Policies, Digital Inclusion, Employment, ICT & The Environment, A2K, Privacy & Transparency, Pluralistic Media, Consumer Protection
June 14, 2009
The Working Party on Communication and Information Services Policy (CISP) will be held on June 15-18 in Paris. France. This Committee "reviews telecommunications and Internet policy, reviews developments in information infrastructure: regulatory reform, convergence of telecommunication, Internet, cable television and broadcasting networks".
Some topics that this Committee addressed are:
Telecommunications regulation, Domain Name System, IP network connection and interoperability, competition in voice markets; Policy and regulatory implications of new wireless technologies; sensors Networks, RFID; New applications, services and protocols, Bandwidth and traffic exchange.
Some issues that might be of interest of CSISAC members are:
- Intellectual Property, Privacy & Data Protection, Consumer Rights, Internet Governance, Network Neutrality, Digital Inclusion
April 29, 2009
At its 1172nd session on April 30, 2008, the OECD Council adopted the Recommendation for enhanced access and more effective use of public sector information. The Recommendation was developed by the OECD Committee for Information, Computer and Communication Policy (ICCP Committee), and particularly by its Working Party on the Information Economy.
The Recommendation set out 6 principles which provide a general framework for the wider and more effective use of public sector information and content and the generation of new uses from it. The principles are
- Openness;
- Access and transparent conditions for re-use;
- Asset lists;
- Quality;
- Integrity; and
- New technologies and long-term preservation.
The OECD Council instructs the OECD Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy to promote the implementation of this Recommendation and review it every three years to foster enhanced access and more effective use of public sector information.
The full text of the recommendation is available here.
April 1, 2009
The OECD has published a new book which defines ID theft, studies how it is perpetrated, outlines what is being done to combat it, and recommends specific ways to address it in a global manner.
The purpose of this book is threefold:
* to define ID theft, both online and off-line, and to study how it is perpetrated;
* to outline what is being done to combat the major types of ID theft; and
* to recommend specific ways that ID theft can be addressed in an effective, global manner.
Note that readers can access the full version of this book choosing, among other options, to browse the book online here, to purchase the PDF e-book and/or print edition directly via OECD Online Bookshop."
March 17, 2009
On March 16-17, 2009, the US Federal Trade Commission (US FTC), in conjunction with the OECD and APEC, hosted a conference on "Securing Personal Data in the Global Economy." The conference addressed how companies can manage personal data-security issues in a global information environment where data can be stored and accessed from multiple jurisdictions.
Marc Rotenberg, Executive Director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) spoke at panel 5 : "Data Flows and Cross-Border Conflicts".
Transcripts are available online.
February 3, 2009
The next OECD-ICCP meeting (Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy) will be held in March 11-13, 2009 in Paris, right after the OECD Working Party on Information Security and Privacy (WPISP).
January 29, 2009
The new OECD website on Innovation Strategy will discuss how innovation works in a global market for science and technology. Their goal is to help policy makers improve framework conditions.
January 29, 2009
On December 11, 2008, OECD-BIAC organized a workshop on ICT and Innovation in Paris, France. The workshop was designed as an input to the OECD Innovation Strategy. The meeting focused on the ICT sector itself and innovation ICT applications across sectors, current economic challenges and supporting policy.
January 29, 2009
In December 2008. the OECD participated in the third Internet Governance Forum which took place in Hyderabad, India. This included organizing an Open Forum on the Outcomes of the Seoul Ministerial Chaired by Ambassador David Gross, Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy, United States. Panelists for this event included Peter Voss, Head of Division, International Policy for Information & Communication Technologies, Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, Germany; Tom Walker, Director Europe and International, BERR, United Kingdom; Gulshan Rai, Director at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, India; Joseph H. Alhadeff, Vice President for Global Public Policy and Chief Privacy Officer, Oracle Corporation , Chair of BIAC's Information, Computer and Communication (ICCP) Committee, Vice Chair of ICC's Commission on E-Business, IT and Telecoms; Katitza Rodríguez Pereda, Public Voice Coordinator; Bill Graham, Strategic Global Engagement, Office of the President, Internet Society (ISOC) and Marcus Courtney, Head of Department, UNI Telecom Global Union.
January 29, 2009
On June 8-9, 2009, OECD is organizing a conference on Sensor-Based Environments, Lisbon, Portugal. The objective of the event is to bring together policy makers, researchers, business and civil society to better understand how sensor-based and ubiquitous computing technologies can help address some of the most important global challenges (e.g. health and aging, transportation, environment, security and defense) and what policy makers can do to stimulate innovation in this area. This conference will follow up on previous OECD work on RFID.
Civil Society Members of CSISAC who are interested to follow this discussion, please, contact katitza (at) epic (dot) org. Any other inquires, please, send it directly to OECD.
January 29, 2009
On April 15, 2009, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum and the OECD is organizing a symposium on the Protection of Children Online in Singapore to foster an exchange of best practices to promote a safer Internet environment for children.
January 29, 2009
On March 16-17, 2009, the OECD, in conjunction with APEC and the Federal Trade Commission, will host a two-day international conference: “Securing Personal Data in the Global Economy" in Washington DC. A live webcast will be available on the day of the event.
January 2, 2009
A diverse group of civil society organizations and individuals from the Public Voice Coalition worked on a joint Civil Society Declaration to the OECD 2008 Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy, which took place in Seoul in June 2008.
This document raises a number of issues of major importance to the civil society community and makes a number of recommendations to move towards the future of the Internet that meets the essential needs of all the world's citizens. The declaration has been signed by (so far) 86 organizations and more than 99 individuals.
January 1, 2009
With the slogan "Shaping Policies for Creativity, Confidence and Convergence in the Digital World", the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) held the 2008 Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy in Seoul, South Korea on June 17 and 18. In all, close to 2,200 participants from 68 economies attended the Meeting, which was webcast.
All the materials are placed online
January 1, 2009
On June 16, 2008, more than 150 participants from 15 countries gathered in Seoul, South Korea, for the Civil Society - Labor Forum "Making the Future of the Internet Economy Work for Citizens, Consumers, and Workers. The event was organized by the The Public Voicecoalition, the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC), and the OECD Civil Society Reference group, which includes the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), the Canadian Internet Policy and Public interest Clinic (CIPPIC), Consumers Korea (CK), the European Digital Rights Initiative (EDRI), the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), the Internet Governance Project (IGP), and the Trans Atlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD).
June 30, 2008
The presentations of all the speakers at the OECD Civil Society Forum are now available online. The forum consists of interactive policy round tables, covering the future of the Internet from 5 perspectives: the Human and political dimension; Towards a better future – Decent work, social justice and sustainable development in a global Internet economy; Fueling creativity and access to knowledge (A2K); Ensuring consumer and privacy protection and benefiting from convergence
June 30, 2008
The OECD also reaffirmed support for the 1980 OECD Privacy Guidelines, which are the foundation for most countries privacy standards.
June 30, 2008
With the slogan "Shaping Policies for Creativity, Confidence and Convergence in the Digital World", the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) held the 2008 Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy in Seoul, South Korea on June 17 and 18. The Meeting, which was the first OECD Ministerial Meeting held in Asia, brought together Ministers, senior government officials, the heads of major intergovernmental organisations, industry leaders and representatives of the Internet technical community, civil society and organised labour. In all, close to 2,200 participants from 68 economies attended the Meeting, which was webcast. In addition to the participants, many more contributed to the Meeting via the Internet. The full EPIC report is available online.
June 30, 2008
A report made by Cristos Velasco´s blog on the results of the OECD Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy.
June 30, 2008
A report made by Nigel Waters, Australian Privacy Foundation and Consumers Federation of Australia on the results of the OECD Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy.
June 30, 2008
Statement presented by Anriette Esterhuysen of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) at the closing of OECD ministerial conference on the future Internet economy on June 18, 2008.
June 30, 2008
Civil Society Participants in the Public Voice Coalition published a Civil Society Policy Paper, which was presented at the OECD Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy held on 17-18 June 2008 in Seoul, Korea.
