The Privacy Payoff

Privacy Pays is an indispensable reference for anyone concerned with privacy issues. It contains a cogent analysis of the threats to individuals and corporations posed by modern information technology as well as an appraisal of regulatory solutions. The book offers compelling and practical advice for organizations that seek to protect the privacy of employees and customers and clearly demonstrates how doing so can enhance the bottom line. The Action Plan for Business alone is well worth the price of the book.

Make space on your bookshelf for The PRIVACY PAYOFF: How Successful Businesses Build Customer Trust, a valuable new business primer on privacy by Ann Cavoukian and Tyler Hamilton. Cavoukian is the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario and co-author of a previous book on privacy entitled Who Knows: safeguarding your privacy in a networked world. Hamilton is a business reporter and technology columnist at the Toronto Star who has covered consumer privacy issues extensively. While Cavoukian's first book was consumer-oriented, this book is aimed at the small to medium business market, providing an excellent insight into the importance of good privacy practices.In 12 chapters, this 300 page plus book addresses the significance of good data protection as a leading business issue (stating unequivocally that heightened post 9-11 government security concerns have absolutely nothing to do with the business need to address consumer privacy). Chapters 3 and 4 address the fundamental concepts of privacy and the development of fair information practices or FIPS, with an explanation of how these FIPs have been translated into various codes (OECD, CSA and the FTC's "Big Four"). Chapter 4 goes on to describe the global regulatory environment, including the development of the EU Directive and the impacts of article 25 (adequacy of non EU-nation data protection), as well as the development of PIPEDA and the U.S. Safe Harbor arrangement. Other key U.S. privacy laws are also briefly summarized and there is a short comment on Asia/Pacific privacy legislation.Chapter 5 looks at the need for business to take a comprehensive approach to privacy implementation beginning with a privacy diagnosis. Some tools are highlighted that businesses can use to assess their own current level of privacy principles compliance and shortcomings, including a Privacy Risk Assessment Test developed by Forrester Research Inc. Some readers of this book may turn to chapter 6 first where the authors include profiles on six Chief Privacy Officers (five U.S.) including IBM's Harriet Pearson and Peter Cullen of the RBC Financial Group, who reports a 50 percent drop in privacy complaints since RBC committed to a high profile approach to privacy protection to maintain customer trust and achieve competitive differentiation. Jules Polonetsky of DoubleClick, which has had a roller-coaster ride of privacy problems, Kirk Herath of Nationwide Insurance Companies, Zoe Strickland of the US Postal Service, and Oliver Johnson of Merck & Co. are also profiled. All of the CPOs offer useful advice on the processes of privacy management within large and diversified organizations - see especially Zoe Strickland's five-point list.Chapter 7 covers safeguards leaks, glitches and breaches with descriptions of viruses, worms and Trojan Horses, first-hand evidence on the perils of unsecured wireless networks, and a bottom-line comment that "sorry isn't enough."In Chapter 8, the authors focus on consume

I've been interested in privacy issues for a while, both as a consumer and from a business perspective. Most of the books I'veseen out there have been geared at consumers, and tend to make out companies as villains. This book is the first I've seen thatdeals with the issue of consumer privacy while at the same time being sensitive to business issues. It's the only "business" book on consumer privacy I've seen, at least the only overview of the issue. Parts of the book could have benefitted with a few moreexamples, but all and all, it was a great overview of an important issue. Any businesses that collect and use customer information should have this book. Being in the U.S. (I'm a Canadian living in New York), I felt it had the right balance of U.S. content but also gave me a solid look at what's happening in the rest of the world. Information doesn't respect borders, so I found the more international flavour of Privacy Payoff to be refreshing as well. OK, I've been rambling to long... what I really mean to say is the book was well worth the purchase.

I've been interested in privacy issues for a while, both as a consumer and from a business perspective. Most of the books I've seen out there have been geared at consumers, and tend to make out companies as villains. This book is the first I've seen that deals with the issue of consumer privacy while at the same time being sensitive to business issues. It's the only "business" book on consumer privacy I've seen, at least the only overview of the issue. Parts of the book could have benefitted with a few more examples, but all and all, it was a great overview of an important issue. Any businesses that collect and use customer information should have this book. Being in the U.S. (I'm a Canadian living in New York), I felt it had the right balance of U.S. content but also gave me a solid look at what's happening in the rest of the world. Information doesn't respect borders, so I found the more international flavour of Privacy Payoff to be refreshing as well. OK, I've been rambling to long... what I really mean to say is the book was well worth the purchase.

What a team; one of the most experienced and respected Privacy Commissioners in Canada (indeed internationally) and the most prominent technology reporter in Toronto engage the business community with useful and strategic advice.Unlike Cavoukian's first book, this one is clearly aimied at business, traditionally a constituency ignored or at worst vilified by most privacy advocates and luddite commissioners.Solid, well written and useful advice to help reduce risk today and plan strategically for tomorrow. Hamilton and Cavoukian make a clear case for the privacy imperative and demonstrate that it can work in support of business motivators NOT against them.