Telecom industry may see over $12 million in fines
February25, 2009 (Cnet)
The importance of data security, especially as it pertains to personal information, has become a lightening rod issue. Whether it be related to controlling your Facebook content or maintaining secure access controls to your data on third party networks, the issue is a critical one. Moreover, the issue covers both privacy concerns as well as economic ones.
The recent turmoil over Facebook's changes to their Terms of Service encapsulates the concern that exists over controlling one's personal data. The ramifications of identity theft and other data security breaches points out the economic impacts at the individual level. But there are also significant economic impacts at the enterprise level as well. The amount of money spent on network security or other forms IT infrastructure are just two examples. Other financial considerations at the enterprise level are regulatory compliance and the associated fines for a lack thereof.
A federal regulatory agency on Tuesday proposed more than $12 million in fines for the telecommunications industry, after hundreds of telecommunications carriers failed to ensure to the agency they are instituting proper protections over customer data.
The carriers either failed to file to the Federal Communications Commission, or filed incorrectly, the required paperwork confirming they have implemented a plan to protect customers' proprietary network information. In the notices the FCC sent to the more than 600 carriers who completely failed to file the paperwork, the agency proposed a fine of $20,000 for each carrier. For the carriers who filed noncompliant information, the FCC proposed a range of fines up to $10,000.
The commission strengthened its privacy rules in 2007 by adopting additional safeguards, including the required carrier certifications, to protect consumer data against unauthorized access and disclosure. The rules apply to all telecommunications providers and interconnected voice over IP providers.
YOUnite's patented technology offers a solution that addresses both sides if the problem: individual privacy and control as well as improved enterprise data security and operating cost efficiency. The solution is through the notion of "distributed sharing of personal identity attributes".
By applying YOUnite's patented technology to this problem at the user's level, an individual is able to maintain control of their own personal attributes (e.g. contact details, demographic data, Social Security and credit card numbers, photos and even personal preferences) on their own personal devices and selectively share whatever information they wish to whomever they choose. At the enterprise level, a company would be able to maintain better security by limiting or even eliminating the need to store data on third party, while still enabling access to sensitive data. In addition, YOUnite's patented technology would dramatically reduce a company's data healing activities. For the enterprises, this translates to improved operating costs and regulatory compliance.
YOUnite's patented technology provides a cost effective solution to the increasing problem surrounding data security, privacy, and control of one's personal information that satisfies both the individual and the enterprise.
For more information, please visit our website and while you're there, read through our Resources Section for specific Use Cases and White Papers.