Senators vexed that companies could share data

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http://www.bostonherald.com/business/technology/2015/10/senators_vexed_that_companies_could_share_data



Senators vexed that companies could share data
Jordan Graham Sunday, October 25, 2015

A controversial cybersecurity bill that supporters say would keep Americans safe from cyberattacks but opponents — including many technology giants — say would violate users’ privacy, is set to hit the Senate again this week.

“CISA would essentially invalidate every company’s privacy policy by putting corporations above the law and allowing them to share private user data directly with spy agencies like the NSA, and even with other companies,” said Evan Greer, campaign manager for Massachusetts-based Fight for the Future, a privacy advocacy group. “It allows the government to use that data for a wide array of purposes that have nothing to do with cybersecurity or preventing hacking attacks.”

The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act is intended to encourage private companies to share information about potential cyberattacks with the government and other companies by providing incentives, but Greer said that would not be the result.

“Security experts overwhelmingly agree that information sharing is not the fix to cybersecurity that we need. We need companies and government agencies to improve their security practices, and we need mechanisms to hold them accountable if they don’t,” Greer said. “CISA takes us in the opposite direction by letting companies off the hook, and opens up massive new loopholes for surveillance in the process.”