Digital Discourse / Archives for Ken Wasch

SIIA Applauds House Committee Passage of Legislation Opposing U.N. Regulation of the Internet

June 20, 2012 By

SIIA commends today’s unanimous, bipartisan committee passage of a House Resolution (H. Con. Res. 127) opposing efforts to bring the Internet under unnecessary international governmental control.

We applaud the House Energy and Commerce Committee for defending the Web from control by international bodies that could threaten today’s reality of Internet freedom. Expanding U.N. control over the Internet could give undue power to governments that seek to undermine Internet freedom and international trade. We need a global Internet free from unnecessary international governmental control.

Last year, Russia, China, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan proposed a U.N. code of conduct stating that policy authority for Internet-related public issues is the sovereign right of states. While many government agencies, especially law enforcement and national security departments, would agree that their jurisdiction extends to actions on the internet, the real worry is how governments and international agencies that are hostile to Internet freedom could interpret and apply these broad principles. The proposed code of conduct could be used to limit the ability of individuals and firms to exchange legitimate Internet traffic across borders and create significant digital trade barriers.

All countries have benefited from the open, transparent nature of the Internet, and will continue to do so under the current multi-stakeholder approach to Internet governance.

Ken WaschKen Wasch is President of SIIA.

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Filed Under: Policy Tagged With: ,

SIIA Welcomes Beginning of NTIA Multistakeholder Privacy Process

June 15, 2012 By

SIIA offers its enthusiastic support for the first multistakeholder privacy meeting, announced today by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The meeting will take place on July 12 and the goal will be to develop a code of conduct to provide transparency in how companies provide applications and interactive services for mobile devices.

Today’s announcement marks the beginning of a multistakeholder process that can contribute significantly to the continuation of interoperable data privacy regimes, including the European Union’s proposed data protection regulations.

SIIA concurs with the Department of Commerce that voluntary, enforceable codes of conduct are the appropriate approach for data privacy protections because they develop faster and provide more flexibility than legislation or regulation.

Continued growth and innovation in the vibrant mobile marketplace depends on consumer confidence in the privacy protections provided by mobile application providers. For this reason, SIIA has been actively working to develop best practices that can help protect personal information while encouraging continued growth and innovation in the mobile marketplace.

In establishing this first multistakeholder process, NTIA was wise to focus on a definable area where stakeholders have begun to collaborate to develop practices, and we look forward to actively participating on behalf of our members and the industry broadly.

View comments SIIA made to NTIA in April here.

Ken WaschKen Wasch is President of SIIA.

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Filed Under: Policy, Policy - Privacy

SIIA, Industry Gather at White House to Pledge Leadership Role in Stopping Botnets

May 30, 2012 By

At a White House event today, the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) expressed a commitment to working with the Administration to address the growing dangers posed by botnets. SIIA is part of a multi-industry group that today announced its Principles for Voluntary Efforts to Reduce the Impact of Botnets in Cyberspace. SIIA President Ken Wasch and representatives of other industry groups were joined by Cybersecurity Coordinator Howard Schmidt, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, other administration officials and industry leaders including Michael DeCeasare CEO of McAfee.

As the leading organization representing software and digital media companies, SIIA and its members are at the forefront of the fight against botnets and other forms of Internet security threats. For example, McAfee provides a suite of tools for consumers and businesses to keep their systems free of infections and to remove malware and botnets from their infected systems. And Google recently launched a notification effort for users of computers and routers infected with the DNSChanger malware.

SIIA is committed to addressing botnet security threats by working collaboratively with the government and by promoting the work of our members. It is vital that industry and government work together to ensure that public policy encourages private sector innovation and flexibility. After all, it is the products and tools produced by companies such as McAfee and Google that are empowering consumers and businesses to fight Internet security threats.

To that aim, SIIA is part of the Industry Botnet Group (“IBG”), which was formed earlier this year to collaborate on and encourage voluntary efforts to reduce the effectiveness of botnets. Botnets infect computers, threatening the trust and confidence of online users and undermining the efficiencies and economic growth spurred by the Internet. The IBG’s principles call on Internet participants to coordinate and communicate with each other and voluntarily work to fight the effectiveness of botnets across the botnet lifecycle. More information is available at www.industrybotnetgroup.org.

Ken WaschKen Wasch is President of SIIA.

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Filed Under: Government, Policy, Policy - Cybersecurity, Security, Software Tagged With: , ,

SIIA Applauds Passage of Cybersecurity Legislation in House

April 26, 2012 By

SIIA commends today’s House passage of the Cybersecurity Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA, H.R. 3523). With cyber threats more sophisticated and targeted than ever, and growing at an unprecedented rate, now is the time to act on critical cybersecurity legislative priorities. We believe the top priority is to establish a framework that enables the public and private sectors to work together in sharing information on known threats and vulnerabilities. H.R. 3523 would accomplish the vital objective of early detection and notification of cybersecurity threats. This is the most critical component of preventing and mitigating attacks, and will increase security across the board.

As important as this bill is, information sharing is not alone enough to protect the nation’s cyber threats. SIIA continues to support quick passage of other key measures before the House to address the nation’s most pressing cybersecurity challenges, while preserving innovation. These measures include:

• HR 4257 to reform of Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA),
• HR 2096 and HR 3834 to provide for additional cybersecurity R&D.

A strong and responsive cybersecurity system that doesn’t add burdensome regulation will make everyone more secure and keep our country at the forefront of tech innovation.

Ken WaschKen Wasch is President of SIIA.

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Filed Under: Policy, Policy - Cybersecurity Tagged With: ,

SIIA Joins Call for Narrow, Bipartisan Cybersecurity Legislation

April 18, 2012 By

SIIA today announced its endorsement of three bipartisan measures to make improvements to cybersecurity. SIIA joined with the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) and other trade associations representing a broad range of U.S. companies in a letter to Speaker John Boehner and Minority Leader Nany Pelosi supporting this major national security priority. The measures seek to bring to bear the resources of U.S. companies to protect personal information.

SIIA urges Congress to pass legislation on the following issues that would immediately enhance our cybersecurity posture:

• Improved information sharing through HR 3523;
• Reform of Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) through HR 4257;
• Additional cybersecurity R&D through HR 2096 and HR 3834.

Passing these bipartisan measures, which are expected to be taken up in the House of Representatives next week, will improve public and private cybersecurity infrastructure without adding unnecessary expense or bureaucracy.

SIIA has long called for a measured, collaborative approach to cybersecurity legislation in order to protect consumers while allowing companies to continue to innovate. These bills tackle important security issues without adding excessive regulation or bureaucracy that could stifle American technology leadership. They will allow industry to work closely with government to ensure aggressive security that is flexible enough to keep up with the speed and sophistication of today’s cyber attacks.

Ken WaschKen Wasch is President of SIIA.

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Filed Under: Policy, Policy - Cybersecurity Tagged With:

SIIA Signs on to Industry Letter Opposing India’s New Protectionist Procurement Rule

March 6, 2012 By

SIIA strongly opposes the new procurement rule that imposes a 30% domestic content requirement on an ill-defined range of electronic products and services.  It is bad enough that the rule explicitly targets laptops and computers, but it could also extend to any software, application or electronic content that the Indian government might deem to be covered.  SIIA’s members in the software and digital content industries are deeply concerned by this development and urge the U.S. government to engage strongly with the government of India to rollback this protectionist policy.  Allowing the policy to stand not only increases the risk that India will extend it to other sectors, but also that other countries will seek to imitate it.

Katie CarlsonKen Wasch is President of SIIA.

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Filed Under: Policy Tagged With: ,

SIIA Applauds White House Privacy Recommendations

February 23, 2012 By

SIIA today welcomed the release of the White House’s report on privacy. In its report, the White House proposes that privacy codes of conduct be developed through a multi-stakeholder process that involves representatives from industry sectors, civil society, and representatives of other governments. The Department of Commerce would convene these discussions and act as a facilitator to ensure progress.

Voluntary, industry-specific privacy guidelines will improve privacy while maintaining the incentive and opportunity for industry participants to bring new information products and services to the public. Relying on a regulatory agency to come up with one-size-fits-all privacy rules will inhibit innovation and won’t lead to the most effective privacy protection for the public. The White House has developed a forward-looking, effective approach to improving privacy.

We simply don’t need legislation to develop privacy standards that work. The general principles of fair information practice are well known and have been articulated anew in the report. These principles can be made more specific through industry sector codes of conduct, and compliance can be assured through the existing authority of the Federal Trade Commission.

SIIA cannot endorse this proposal as a legislative initiative, but we welcome the multi-stakeholder process and look forward to participating in it. We also welcome the proposed multi-stakeholder agreement on adopting a do-not-track system.

Today’s agreement providing consumers and business with clear privacy rules related to online behavioral advertising is a good first step in carrying out the promise of the multi-stakeholder approach to protecting privacy. We are encouraged that the agreement was done collaboratively, with involvement from government, business and civil society. SIIA looks forward to additional accomplishments and stands ready to work with all stakeholders to continue to ensure consumer privacy is protected in the Internet age.

Katie CarlsonKen Wasch is President of SIIA.

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Filed Under: Policy, Policy - Privacy
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