Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012, June 09, 1997, Page 4A, Image 4

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    Web users seen as largely unprotected from privacy
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — A survey released on
the eve of important government hearings
on Web privacy suggests computer users
are extremely vulnerable to cyberspace
spying and other personal intrusions by
Internet businesses.
The results could help frame one of the
most fundamental debates in the evolution
of the Internet as a commercial market
place: whether the industry can police it
self or the government must step in to pro
tect millions of personal-computer users.
Starting Tuesday, the Federal Trade
Commission will hold unusually broad
hearings in response to complaints by pri
vacy advocates that personal information
is gathered and used by online operators
without user consent or knowledge.
The Electronic Privacy Information Cen
ter, a nonprofit consumer group participat
ing in the talks, released its survey in a
pre-emptive volley ahead of the Washing
ton hearings. The group provided the re
sults to The Associated Press Sunday in
advance of a planned release Monday.
The survey found that of the Internet’s
100 most popular Web sites, about half
collect personal information from users
who click on their sites or through mailing
lists and other means.
Only 17 sites even mention the privacy
issue, and most of those fell far short of
what the group considered adequate dis
closure — explaining why information is
collected, how it will be used, and what
steps will be taken to limit improper use.
“The industry is urging self-policing,
but there is no indication that Web sites to
day are doing anything toward that,” said
David Sobel, the center’s legal counsel.
Some of the surveyed sites explain pri
vacy policies in ambiguous language. For
example, Amazon.com, a major online
seller of books, tells users it does not rent
or sell its mailing list. But it adds that
users should send an e-mail to make sure
this doesn’t happen, the surveyors said.
Of the 100 sites, only eight gave users
some control over whether the Web site
could share the personal information with
others.
On the positive side, the surveyors not
ed that some sites, such as CNN's online
service, don’t collect any information
about Web users. This type of anonymity
was touted by the group as a main way for
the Internet to retain the privacy of surfers.
“There is a lot of anonymity ... which is
the defacto way privacy is protected,” said
Marc Rotenberg, director of the privacy in
formation center. “Some people who think
they are surfing the Net are actually swim
ming in a fish bowl. It’s a little uncomfort
able once you realize that.”
Jobs: University will save money and reorganize departments
■ Continued from Page 1A
than a hundred personnel —
some who have been here for
more than 15 years — Clark said
this will not negatively affect the
University.
Rather, this is an opportunity
for departments to reorganize,
and it could save the University
money because new employees
can be hired at a lower pay, she
said.
Helen Stoop, a benefits admin
istrator, said the University will
lose valuable experience with the
retiring of these employees, but
overall, this is a positive move be
cause it allows the University to
reallocate jobs and hire employ
ees with technological back
grounds.
Mary Hudzikiewicz, assistant
dean of student life, has been a
part of this University for about 38
years, save a few years at other
jobs. She began here as a student
and now is in charge of the honor
societies, University Day, gradua
tion ceremonies and basically
every facet of student life.
“I am going to miss working
widi the students,” Hudzikiewicz
said. “I diink the college-age is the
most enjoyable because over two
or three years I see the changes
they make and their abilities
grow.”
Hudzikiewicz, under the retire
ment incentive package, is opting
to continue working at the Uni
versity 600 hours a year while
spending the rest of her time vol
unteering and doing “things I
haven't had the chance to do,” she
said.
“I do bleed green and yellow,”
Hudzikiewicz said. “And the Uni
versity of Oregon will always be a
major part of my life, but it is go
ing to change. I will have the op
portunity to volunteer my time in
other parts of the University. ”
Margo Ramsing, an internation
al student advisor, has been a part
of the University for 12 years and
is also opting to continue working
600 hours a year as part of the
package.
Ramsing has started such pro
grams as the Friendship Family,
which provides friendship and
hospitality to international stu
dents when they arrive at the Uni
versity.
She said during her time at the
University, technology has made
it much easier to communicate,
and in addition she has seen
much growth in the international
education and exchange program.
“This program offers the Uni
versity an international campus,”
Ramsing said. “It is an opportuni
ty for students to learn about cul
tures and interact with people
from all over the world.”
Ramsing said she sees the re
tirement of so many people as a
“change where much tradition
will be lost. But in the process,
new people will come in and new
traditions will be made.”
Dwyer said the loss of people
who have been here for so long
will greatly affect the University.
“I don’t see how it can help but be
a tremendous impact,” she said.
“There is a big bank of knowledge
that will be gone and I wonder
who these people who have been
here for such a short time will
turn to with their questions.”
Stoop, who works in Human
Resources, does not deny that
knowledge will be lost with the
retiring of over 100 people, but
emphasizes the benefits outweigh
possible negative aspects.
This is a possible chance for the
University to save money by hir
ing employees on the lower end
of the pay scale, Clark said. And
this is also a chance for each de
partment to reorganize.
Clark emphasized that this re
tirement package was only offered
for this year, and said she knows
of no plans to offer another one
like it soon. This means it is un
certain whether the amount of re
tirees will remain at this level or
drop back to the standard level
now that the incentives will not
be available.
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