The White House Consumer Data Privacy Act

The Obama Administration has unveiled the first draft of the White House Consumer Data Privacy Act, which will give consumers more control over how their personal information is displayed and used online.  This is the first draft of the online rights of consumers that companies must recognize:

-- Individual Control:  Consumers have a right to exercise control over what personal data organizations collect from them and how they use it.

• Transparency:  Consumers have a right to easily understandable information about privacy and security practices.
• Respect for Context:  Consumers have a right to expect that organizations will collect, use, and disclose personal data in ways that are consistent with the context in which consumers provide the data.
• Security:  Consumers have a right to secure and responsible handling of personal data.
• Access and Accuracy:  Consumers have a right to access and correct personal data in usable formats, in a manner that is appropriate to the sensitivity of the data and the risk of adverse consequences to consumers if the data are inaccurate.
• Focused Collection:  Consumers have a right to reasonable limits on the personal data that companies collect and retain.
• Accountability:  Consumers have a right to have personal data handled by companies with appropriate measures in place to assure they adhere to the Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights.

"The Internet is Not a Human Right"

According to one of the inventors of the Internet, "Internet access is not a human right."

While it can be argued that someone in the 21st century could survive without the Internet, would they live as well as their Internet-surfing peers? 

Would someone be a hypocrite if they claimed that literacy is a human right, or freedom to access information is a human right, but stated that Internet access is not a human right?

Even Amish children who might not have electricity at home due to the religious beliefs of their community often go to public libraries where, with parental permission, they may use computers with Internet access.

The leaders of North Korea keep their people from having Internet access, in order to maintain their authority. 

The leaders of China continually try to censor and block what the Chinese can view over the Internet, but they see the value of all people having Internet access for commerce, education, and communication. 

Wireless Internet access in developing countries has the potential to make education more affordable and readily available for poor people in remote areas.  Internet access also makes it much easier for these same people to acquire free or low-cost EBooks, as well as free or low-cost means of communication or trade. 

If everyone had Internet access, would it level the playing field in some areas of human existence?  Is it possible that, in every case, those living without Internet access are at a disadvantage economically and educationally?