RESCHEDULED!

The Forum on Data Privacy Convened by the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office has been rescheduled for Thursday, March 24, 2016, from 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

To register, please visit: http://bit.ly/1SzHVVq

Access to consumer data allows businesses to better serve their customers and to develop and deliver transformative products and services. However, unpredictable, unclear, or ineffectual privacy rules and protections threaten the trust, goodwill, and ultimately the investment necessary to support a robust, data-driven economy.

The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office is committed to working with all stakeholders to promote innovation, competition, and consumer privacy. To inform our consideration of these important issues, we invite you to join us in shaping a new partnership with a candid exchange of ideas and concerns. The forum is cohosted by MIT's Computer Science and Artifical Intelligence Laboratory, TechNet and the Berkman Center for Internet & Society.

In advance of this meeting we are particularly interested in hearing your perspectives regarding the following issues.

1) Do innovative technologies and methods by which businesses collect, share, and use consumer data (e.g. Internet of Things, Big Data, mobile devices/applications, cloud computing) create privacy concerns or compliance challenges? If so, how could these concerns or challenges be resolved or overcome?

2) Is there a need for more definitive rules or guidance from government or self-regulatory bodies regarding the commercial collection, use, and protection of consumer data? If so, what rules or guidance should be put forth?

3) As experts on consumer privacy issues or as participants in data-driven businesses, are there problematic business practices you observe that threaten consumer privacy?

4) Could the Massachusetts Data Breach Notification Act (Mass. Gen. Law c. 93H) be amended to better promote consumer privacy in light of changing technologies? If so, how?

If you are interested in participating or have recommendations for speakers, please contact Assistant Attorneys General Sara Cable (617.963.2827) or Mike Firestone (617.963.2027) or email dataprivacy@state.ma.us. RSVP information to follow.

Please note that all submissions may become part of the public record and subject to public disclosure. We look forward to hearing from you.

Forum on Data Privacy Convened by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office