July 9 – 13, 2019

As I begin to catch up, here’s a quick summary of some of the week’s information governance headlines.

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Miss me?

Between visiting my kids in Hong Kong and moving from Houston to Austin, I haven’t posted to my blog since late May.  I am starting up again, but the online version of print editions of The Wall Street Journal only goes back to July 9.  So I am a bit resource-constrained.

I will go back and capture some of the major relevant stories since July 9, but it’s probably more important to get in the routine of doing the daily posts again.

Coming soon.

Christian

 

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What’s wrong with this picture?

“In Reversal, NIH to Allow Doctors to Speak to Investigators,” The Wall Street Journal, May 4, 2019.  The National Institutes of Health (a government body) was refusing to allow two senior doctors to speak to safety investigators from another federal government body.

How can one government agency think it has the power to prevent its employees from talking to federal investigators from another agency?  What were they trying to hide?

Governance.  Information.  Compliance.

 

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Filed under Theme One: Information, Theme Three: Compliance, Theme Two: Governance

TMI?

Does having too much information limit your “reach”?

“The Online Tool That Helps—and Hinders?—College Applicants,” The Wall Street Journal, May 4, 2019.  Application shows where earlier classes report what colleges they applied to and where they got accepted.  May result in students not applying to schools that they might get into.

How do you use information, even if you know it is incomplete?  Not all colleges are listed, and there may be other data defects.

Use. Information.

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Filed under Theme Four: Use, Theme One: Information

$5 billion privacy fine?

“Potential Facebook Settlement With FTC Likely to Include WhatsApp,” The Wall Street Journal, May 3, 2019.  Privacy settlement over misuse and disclosure of users’ information may include WhatsApp, but maybe not Instagram.

The government steps in to apply privacy protections to Facebook and its subparts.  That’s potentially good for your information security.  The fines (rumored in the $5 billion range) may be the least of it.

Governance.  Privacy.  Information.

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Banned

“Facebook Bans Louis Farrakhan, Alex Jones and Others as ‘Dangerous’,” The Wall Street Journal, May 3, 2019.  Facebook bans selected individuals from the platform.

If a government did this, there would be problems.  But is it okay for a private party with nearly monopoly power in a bit of social mediaverse?  How will these people be able to communicate to their audiences?

Those who are big fans of Freedom of Speech might reconcile themselves to the fact that writing something down isn’t speech.  And those who are fans of Freedom of the Press may feel this isn’t “the Press.”  Others may think it’s time to amend our Founding Documents to reflect some of the new technologies.  And the private/public distinction.

Should we allow a private party to make these calls?  Is the alternative chaos?

Governance (Facebook decides what it will and won’t allow). Information.

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Filed under Theme One: Information, Theme Two: Governance

Leaker fired

“U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May Fires Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson Over Huawei Leak,” The Wall Street Journal, May 2, 2019.  He allegedly leaked sensitive information about the use of Huawei equipment in the UK’s 5G network.

One wonders what will happen if the equipment leaks, too.

Information.  Security. Compliance. Governance.

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Government controls

“Elon Musk: Judge Approves Deal Spelling Out Oversight of Tesla CEO’s Tweets,” The Wall Street Journal, May 1, 2019.  After a long-running feud with the SEC, Tesla now has agreed to control it’s CEO’s tweets.

Interesting interplay of old rules (First Amendment, Securities Exchange Act, etc.) and new technologies (Twitter).

Governance and Information and Compliance.

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Filed under Theme One: Information, Theme Three: Compliance, Theme Two: Governance

Incidental taking

NSA doesn’t collect information on US citizens, right?

“NSA Reports 75% Increase in Unmasking U.S. Identities Under Foreign Surveillance Law in 2018,” The Wall Street Journal, May 1, 2019.  Nearly 17,000 US persons (citizens and companies) had their data intercepted AND their identities disclosed last year.

How secure are your communications?  Are you communicating with someone who’s communications are being monitored?  How do you know?

How do you protect your information?  Is there privacy in the US?

Governance (the warrant requirement in the Constitution). Information. Security. Privacy.  I guess it’s about time to add Privacy to the list.

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Filed under Theme Five: Security, Theme One: Information, Theme Six: Privacy, Theme Two: Governance

Weakest link

Who do you share information with?  Do they protect it as well as you would?

“U.S. Would Rethink Intelligence Ties if Allies Use Huawei Technology,” The Wall Street Journal, April 30, 2019.  US says it may not share intelligence data with countries who use equipment that the US deems insecure.

How do you deal with your business partners?

Governance.  Security. Information.  I figure so much of Information Governance relates to Security, it needed its own theme.

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Filed under Theme Five: Security, Theme One: Information, Theme Two: Governance