Tag Archives: privacy

Learn about GDPR at July 26 open forum

You and all members of the U-M community are invited to a General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Open Forum to learn more about U-M’s approach to GDPR compliance. Sol Bermann, university privacy officer and interim chief information security officer, and David Grimm, associate general counsel, will share U-M’s approach to GDPR compliance, demonstrate the processes and tools developed… Read More »

U-M researchers strive to keep confidential data safe

“Virtually all human activity in the modern world creates digital traces. It is our responsibility to ensure that the resulting data is protected and managed responsibly,” said Margaret Levenstein, director of the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research at the U-M Institute for Social Research. Levenstein is leading a project team working to create a “System of… Read More »

U-M preparing for GDPR

A cross-university working group has been working for months to prepare U-M for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which goes into effect on May 25. To date, these efforts have included developing a risk-based GDPR compliance strategy, making important decisions regarding key requirements of the regulation, developing key GDPR processes and tools, and making recommendations for an… Read More »

Social media privacy: Should kids have a say?

  Is it an invasion of your child’s privacy to take their picture and post it on social media? Sarita Schoenebeck, assistant professor at the School of Information, is an expert on how families use technology. She suggests that parents should respect their children and keep their feelings in mind before posting their pictures. A survey of 331… Read More »

Fragmented U.S. privacy laws leave large data loopholes

By | April 10, 2018

Florian Schaub, an assistant professor at U-M and a privacy expert, notes in a recent article that the patchwork of U. S. laws and regulations that govern data collection and privacy leave loopholes for companies to exploit. For example, Federal laws strictly protect medical, financial, and education-related records. However, online services, apps, and data collection by emerging technologies… Read More »

Digital privacy a risk for undocumented immigrants

Undocumented immigrants tend to be careful about public life: They limit contact with authorities, keep close-knit circles, and avoid loitering too long in parks, supermarkets, shows and other public gatherings. Some even avoid driving altogether. But when it comes to their smartphones, they struggle to apply this instinctive caution, according to a study by the U-M School of… Read More »

First Privacy@Michigan symposium draws over 200 participants

On January 30, the university held its first Privacy@Michigan symposium. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of International Data Privacy Day, the event featured an interdisciplinary group of U-M faculty and researchers who addressed top privacy-related—and threatening—issues in an era when the very notion has gotten complicated. The event was sponsored jointly by the U-M School of Information (UMSI), and… Read More »

U-M preparing GDPR compliance program

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which takes effect May 25, 2018, will affect organizations worldwide, including universities. The regulation expands personal privacy rights for European Union residents. It will take some time for organizations around the world to sort through, understand, and determine the implications of the GDPR requirements, as well as figure out how best to… Read More »

Protect your privacy on social media

Protect your privacy and stay secure when using social media sites and apps. Before you post, tweet, or share, pay attention to privacy by following some simple guidelines. For example, strive to “undershare” (rather than overshare), avoid sharing your location, and be aware that anonymous doesn’t mean untraceable. These tips and more are on the Social Media Privacy page… Read More »

Privacy@Michigan to celebrate Data Privacy Day

Celebrate International Data Privacy Day with a host of faculty, staff, and student experts as they present Privacy@Michigan on Tuesday, January 30, 2–6:30 p.m., in Space 2435 of North Quad. Privacy@Michigan brings together faculty, researchers, students, and staff from different colleges, schools, and units across campus and aims to spark ongoing, multidisciplinary conversations about privacy’s role in society—here… Read More »

Academic Innovation events for January

By | January 12, 2018

The Office of Academic Innovation is hosting three events in January: AIM Analytics: Making Online Learning Work for Everyone Join us on Monday, January 22 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.  at North Quad Space 2435 (105 South State Street.) for AIM Analytics. Digital Tools & Youth Outreach Community: Privacy, Ethical Considerations and Pre-College Data Join us on… Read More »

Court case could affect your digital privacy

By | December 1, 2017

A case pending before the Supreme Court could affect all Americans’ digital privacy for decades to come, according to H.V. Jagadish, professor of electrical engineering and computer science. The case involves the appeal of man whose conviction for armed robbery was based, in part, on location data provided without a warrant to the F.B.I. by his cellphone provider. Jagadish, whose… Read More »

SUMIT 2017 focused on surveillance, censorship, and internet freedom

The 13th annual Security at University of Michigan IT (SUMIT) was held on Thursday, October 19. More than 550 people attended SUMIT 2017 either in person at Rackham Auditorium or virtually via the live stream throughout the day. This number represents more than 170 universities, corporations, small businesses, and nonprofits from around the country. This year, the university’s… Read More »

Upcoming Teach-Outs

By | October 24, 2017

Teach-Outs are open to the world and are designed to bring together individuals with wide-ranging perspectives in respectful and deep conversation. These events are an opportunity for diverse learners and a multitude of experts to come together to ask questions of one another and explore new solutions to the pressing concerns of our global community. Check out these… Read More »

How to create better privacy policies

By | October 13, 2017

A 2008 study estimated that it would take 244 hours a year for the typical American internet user to read the privacy policies of all websites he or she visits—and that was before smartphones with dozens of apps, cloud services, and smart home technologies. If you’re like most people, you don’t read them. Florian Schaub, assistant professor of information at… Read More »

Data and your online identity

By | June 27, 2017

John Cheney-Lippold, assistant professor of American culture at U-M and author of the book We Are Data: Algorithms and the Making of Our Digital Selves, helps explain the difference between data that is trying to sell you a product, and data that truly knows who you are as a person. “I think we should take the idea of U.S. privacy… Read More »

Private MCommunity groups now hide owners, moderators

By | May 15, 2017

Private groups in the MCommunity Directory now hide not only the members, but also the owners and moderators. Aside from enhancing overall MCommunity privacy, this feature, which was implemented May 13, will help make the kind of email spoofing that occurred earlier this year more difficult. It stops would-be email spoofers from discovering and impersonating the moderator of… Read More »