The Networked Future: Trust & Security Technologies

CORDIS (Community Research and Development Information Service) CORDIS is an important source on EU R&D programmes and relevant matters and can help you to participate in EU funded research programmes, find partners, and transfer your innovative ideas.

CORDIS has just published this brochure The Networked Future

"The aim of this brochure is to illustrate the integration and multi-disciplinarity of today’s research as managed by Directorate D of DG Information Society & Media. What used to be singular research objectives leading to singular results and inventions have now become part of an interwoven research fabric leading to a constant stream of innovation. What were once isolated technological objectives are now embedded in an intelligent networking infrastructure that brings clear benefits to European businesses, consumers and society." Source Cordis Website

One of the six strategies objectives is: Trust & Security Technologies

"Trust and security are key enablers of the Information Society. For citizens to use and feel comfortable with eGovernment services they must have confidence that their online services are trustworthy and secure. Similarly, for consumers and SMEs to use e-commerce and e-business they need confidence in the security of online transactions...

These aspects will become even more important in future, as we move towards smart digital environments based on many interacting objects, devices and systems. In the future, personal area networks and embedded computer chips will be everywhere – in our chips, our homes and even in our clothes. Security in such massively inter-connected environments will require solutions very different to those of today.

This brochure describes IST research on ICT for Trust and Security, showing the integrated nature of European research in this domain. It presents profiles of specific research areas holding a promising future, together with selected project descriptions to exemplify and illustrate key on-going research and technology development." Source CORDIS Website

Genetic Testing: IBM Says No ¡¡

FROM BUSINESS WEEK

By Amy Barrett

IBM's Smart Stance on Genetic Testing

Big Blue is the first major corporation to rule out DNA scans for employees. More than an ethical issue, the decision is also good business

There's no doubt: IBM (IBM ) is way out in front on genetic privacy. On Oct. 10, IBM Chairman and CEO Sam Palmisano sent a memo to employees announcing the company was revising its policies to prevent the use of genetic information in making personnel decisions. Big Blue's move prompts the question: Is a flood of gene-based health data about workers available right now?

Full article Business Week

Bite Biometric Identification Technology Ethics

Bite Project is a european project, to promote research and public debate on bioethical implicationsof emerging biometric identification tecnologies.

The Project's Consortium:

CENTRE FOR SCIENCE, SOCIETY AND CITIZENSHIP
CENTRE FOR CLINICAL RESEARCH AND BIOETHICS
CENTRE FOR THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF GENOMICS
ESA COMMUNICATION,
HUMANSCAN GMBH
INSTITUTE FOR HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT & POLICY
INTERNATIONAL BIOMETRIC GROUP
INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION FOR MIGRATIONS, IOM
OPTEL
EUROPEAN INSTITUTE OF BIOETHICS

and The Project's Work Plan.

REPORTS:

1. Biometrics and genetics meeting report (now available)
2. Biometrics and privacy meeting report (now available)
3. Biometrics and migrants meeting report
4. The european industrial context meeting report
5. Future technologies meeting report
6. Biometric identification technologies for security purposes in biomedicine and to restrain access to medical sensitive data;
7. Biometrics to avoid illicit use of social welfare and medical support;
8. Biometrics as a potential source of biomedical information about an individual.
9. Report on world biometrics market and industry (now available)
10. Report on target groups
11. Public consultation report
12. Conference report
13. The “informatisation of the body” (policy paper)(now available)
14. Politics of Biometric Identity (policy paper)

To download these reports you have to register you in Bite Project Website, it's free

Concurring Opinions

A few time ago we talked about two books by Daniel J. Solove: The Digital Person: Technology and Privacy in the Information Age (NYU Press 2004) and Information Privacy Law (Aspen, 2d ed., 2006) (with Marc Rotenberg & Paul M. Schwartz), Professor Solove is an associate professor of law at the George Washington University Law School.

Solove, Kaimipono D. Wenger, an Assistant Professor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, and Nathan Oman who practices appellate and general litigation in Washington, DC, have just published this blog: Concurring Opinions , a blog about Law & Technology, and specific categories such as Privacy, the last one was about: Airport X-Ray Peep Shows

"According to the New York Times, the TSA is moving closer to deploying a new kind of X-ray machine at airports, one that sees through people's clothing.." (More...)

Links:
Daniel J. Solove
The Digital PersonHome Page
Solove's HomepageSSRN Page (Specially A Taxonomy of Privacy)

Kaimipono Wenger
Kaimi's HomepageSSRN Page

Nathan Oman
SSRN Page

Commission launches the European Biometrics Portal

From Europe's Information Society Newsroom Update

Commission launches the European Biometrics Portal

(3 October 2005) Biometrics is becoming a key technology in identity management all over the world. The European Commission has just launched a new public information portal on biometrics, to provide an online platform for information exchange, coordination and community building activities between users and producers in Europe. The European Biometrics Portal (EBP) will be open to scientific and policy contributions from governments, industry and civil society authors. EBP access and membership are free of charge. The new portal's objective is to encourage the development of consistent policies in the field of biometrics and the respect of privacy. EBP will also support European industry in consolidating its resources.