A response to the new privacy policy for mobile from GSMA http://www.gsmworld.com/our-work/public-policy/mobile_privacy.htm as I agree that there is a need: to move away from compliance, for consistency, and to help the user manage and make decisions.
Here are the proposed guidelines (they are seeking wide input and reflections by June 10th 2011. Here is how to add your views via email to pwalshe@gsm.org or mobileprivacy@gsm.org
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My personal view is that the issue ultimately will not be about the policy framework as set out as it is already rounded, professional, grown-up, workable and practicable but will rest on four other issues: who will crack the UI to make this work, local preference, contract law and policing/ enforcement.
The UI. In many ways this is where it all starts and finishes and the question is that when Apple solve the UI problem for privacy policy will they licence something really unique for everyone and the common good or will they lock it up in a patent and slow the market whilst they try and take an advantage.
Local preference. Culture will play a critical role here. In China it is expected that your Government should know everything about you so that changes the perspective of what people want and need. One policy will be unworkable and if watered down so far will do ‘nothing for nobody’
Contract Law. Not as obvious as the UI (local or policing) but all to do with eco-systems. Your data needs to be passed across many players in the eco-system and whilst you can have a global privacy policy, global contract law is not quite there on many levels. However, let’s assume even though I have anonymous data I can reconstruct who you are, what you like and what you want to do from your data. I may not know your name, but I know where you live and who you influence. This crosses the creepy line today, that will change – but this issue cannot be addressed by a privacy policy as it is how the free market creates capital wealth.
Policing/ enforcement. Who has the teeth and what are they. Like local, enforcement is down to national laws and these vary (thankfully) – best practice here is not best practice over-there.
Back to the issue – In who’s interest are these guidelines for? Operators, Applications, Handset vendors, Software, Users, Government, me or all of us!