Yonkers, New York, March 7, 2017: Consumer Reports (CR), one of the world’s largest independent non-profit consumer organisations, has launched a collaborative effort to “shape the digital marketplace in a way that puts consumers’ data security and privacy needs first”, including the creation of a new security standard.
CR said in a release that the digital privacy and security standard for consumers will aim to help guide companies in the design of mobile and Internet-connected products and services such as smart appliances, mobile apps, and software. Also, the standard will enable CR and other testing organisations to test, evaluate, and report on whether products protect consumer security and privacy, which will empower consumers to make smarter choices about the products they buy.
The first version of the standard is available at https://thedigitalstandard.org. The standard is being developed in partnership with leading privacy, security, and consumer rights organisations, including CR,Disconnect, Ranking Digital Rights and the Cyber Independent Testing Lab, with assistance from Aspiration.
CR will launch and scale its efforts to promote consumer interests in relation to privacy, security and data practices with the generous philanthropic investments of the Ford Foundation and The Craig Newmark Foundation and Craig Newmark Philanthropic Fund. Consumer Reports Online.
The standard will identify and address potential risks in the data security and privacy of digitally-connected products. The partnership is developing the standard to encourage industry to design and produce safer products for consumers.
Another goal of the standard is to protect personal information obtained by products, apps and services after they are purchased. For example, CR exposed significant privacy risks in the popular pregnancy and fertility app Glow, in which users’ personal health information was easily accessed by individuals with basic hacking skills. Glow fixed the potentially dangerous lapses in security after CR testing revealed the problem.
This standard is designed to aggressively address compromises to Online privacy and security and push for stringent protections in the marketplace.
“Most Americans – 96 per cent of people polled, in fact – have serious doubts that their social networks will protect their privacy,” said Craig Newmark. “Americans want businesses to be held to tougher standards when it comes to protecting their personal data, and the new CR standard is about doing just that.”
In addition to the standard, CR will press companies and policymakers for reforms and greater oversight of the privacy, security and data usage of products and services. CR will also seek to elevate and amplify the consumer voice in the debates over these critical issues.
The new initiative seeks to address growing concerns about the vulnerability of products and services in the age of the Internet of Things, fueled by the numerous news reports of incidents such as Yahoo’s disclosure that 1 billion user accounts were hacked, and Chrysler’s recall of 1.4 million vehicles that could be remotely hacked online.
CR Opens Standard for Collaboration
The first iteration of the standard defines and reflects important consumer values that CR believes must be addressed in product development: electronics and software-based products should be secure, consumer information should be kept private, ownership rights of consumers should be maintained, and products should be designed to combat harassment and help protect freedom of expression.
Maria Rerecich, Director of Electronics Testing for Consumer Reports, said, “We are making a long-term commitment to tackle a challenge of staggering complexity. In the spirit of collaboration, we are seeking participation from everyone who cares about these security and privacy issues. We’re excited about the potential to make a real difference that will empower consumers.”
Consumer Reports, founded in 1936, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organisation, and its testing, investigative work and research are funded by a mix of donations, grants and member subscriptions.
The Craig Newmark Foundation and the Craig Newmark Philanthropic Fund have contributed US $1 million for this effort, which represents the largest contribution from organisations led by a member of CR’s board of directors in the history of CR. The Ford Foundation has contributed $1.5 million for this effort, the release added.
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