Europe to decide if IP addresses are Personal Data

PogMoThoin

The issue was discussed on Monday at a meeting of the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and representatives of Google (NSDQ: GOOG), Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT), Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO), and the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) Europe, among others, were present to guard the online ad business against new, potentially burdensome privacy requirements.

Peter Scharr, Germany's data protection commissioner, reportedly said that when a person can be identified by an IP address, that information should be treated as personal information. Other European policy groups, such as the Article 29 Working Party, and politicians, including Portuguese MEP Carlos Coelho of the Center-right European People's Party, apparently share this view.

"It's interesting that this is being led by Germany," said Dave Jevans, chairman of the Anti-Phishing Working Group and CEO of Iron Key. "Germany is putting in laws that require every ISP is to track IP addresses for law enforcement purposes. I find it somewhat ironic."

Jevans also observed that Germany is pushing to require anonymization services to retain records of the IP addresses of their users. This of course would make such services something less than anonymous.

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Nick_oliveri

Jevans also observed that Germany is pushing to require anonymization services to retain records of the IP addresses of their users. This of course would make such services something less than anonymous.

Lol. Thats stupid. As for the IP law being implemented, will this not contradict the recent surveillence law? What a pile of shiite.

PogMoThoin

ATM Google save your ip and create a profile about you that contains your name, age, sex, preferences, when you visit what websites, for how long, what ads do you click on, what movies or music etc you search for, how much time you spend online, at what hours are you online etc etc... you would be surprised how much you can know about a person by looking at their browsing habits!

If it comes to light it would mean that IP addresses would be considered personal data, meaning they should be protected. This will directly impact sites like Google which store IP addresses out of habit. If the move goes ahead Google will not be allowed to collect IP addresses in the EU.

thefinalstage

PogMoThoin wrote: »

ATM Google save your ip and create a profile about you that contains your name, age, sex, preferences, when you visit what websites, for how long, what ads do you click on, what movies or music etc you search for, how much time you spend online, at what hours are you online etc etc... you would be surprised how much you can know about a person by looking at their browsing habits!

If it comes to light it would mean that IP addresses would be considered personal data, meaning they should be protected. This will directly impact sites like Google which store IP addresses out of habit. If the move goes ahead Google will not be allowed to collect IP addresses in the EU.

And I will be incredibly happy.

Rattlehead_ie

PogMoThoin wrote: »

ATM Google save your ip and create a profile about you that contains your name, age, sex, preferences, when you visit what websites, for how long, what ads do you click on, what movies or music etc you search for, how much time you spend online, at what hours are you online etc etc... you would be surprised how much you can know about a person by looking at their browsing habits!

If it comes to light it would mean that IP addresses would be considered personal data, meaning they should be protected. This will directly impact sites like Google which store IP addresses out of habit. If the move goes ahead Google will not be allowed to collect IP addresses in the EU.

Sure I can tell you all that
Im 24 yr old Porn and WoW fanatic that spends WAY too much time online and likes going to see the current hit movies