France’s digital service tax (DST) is a radical departure from international norm, discriminates against U.S. companies and undermines efforts to reach global, multilateral consensus on the digital economy, tech companies and trade groups told U.S. officials on Aug. 19 (see 1908140023). Witnesses from Facebook, Google, Amazon, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, the Computer & Communications Industry Association and the Information Technology Industry Council testified before the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and officials from various federal agencies. Representatives from the departments of Commerce, State, Agriculture, Homeland Security and others questioned tech witnesses as part of the USTR’s Section 301 investigation of France’s DST (see 1907100076).

France’s digital service tax (DST) is a radical departure from international norm, discriminates against U.S. companies and undermines efforts to reach global, multilateral consensus on the digital economy, tech companies and trade groups told U.S. officials Monday (see 1908140056). Witnesses from Facebook, Google, Amazon, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, the Computer & Communications Industry Association and the Information Technology Industry Council testified before the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and officials from various federal agencies. Representatives from the departments of Commerce, State, Agriculture, Homeland Security and others questioned tech witnesses as part of the USTR’s Section 301 investigation of France’s DST.

France’s digital service tax (DST) is a radical departure from international norm, discriminates against U.S. companies and undermines efforts to reach global, multilateral consensus on the digital economy, tech companies and trade groups told U.S. officials Monday (see 1908140056). Witnesses from Facebook, Google, Amazon, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, the Computer & Communications Industry Association and the Information Technology Industry Council testified before the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and officials from various federal agencies. Representatives from the departments of Commerce, State, Agriculture, Homeland Security and others questioned tech witnesses as part of the USTR’s Section 301 investigation of France’s DST.

France’s digital service tax (DST) is a radical departure from international norm, discriminates against U.S. companies and undermines efforts to reach global, multilateral consensus on the digital economy, tech companies and trade groups told U.S. officials Monday (see 1908140056). Witnesses from Facebook, Google, Amazon, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, the Computer & Communications Industry Association and the Information Technology Industry Council testified before the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and officials from various federal agencies. Representatives from the departments of Commerce, State, Agriculture, Homeland Security and others questioned tech witnesses as part of the USTR’s Section 301 investigation of France’s DST.

It’s a “significant problem” that consumers lack the ability to opt out of doing business with credit reporting agencies like Equifax, which collect data indirectly, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation Vice President Daniel Castro said during an interview on C-SPAN's The Communicators to be televised Saturday and posted here Friday. There are legitimate questions about government oversight for credit entities, he said. Castro believes policymakers should consider ways to make certain types of consumer data less valuable. Social Security numbers, one of the most valuable pieces of information, shouldn’t be the sole input for verifying identity, he said. Castro was asked about ITIF’s study on the cost of the U.S. adopting a federal privacy law mirroring laws in the EU or California (see 1908050058). The key is to create a privacy law at reasonable cost, he said: Consumers should have enhanced privacy, but they should retain access to innovative products and services. On data breaches, such as those that Capital One, Equifax and Target have suffered, the analyst said that companies could offer customers a "menu of options" such as password-storage or other services rather than frequent credit monitoring at no cost. He noted that such monitoring is often provided for free, anyway. Equifax didn't comment right away Thursday.

It’s a “significant problem” that consumers lack the ability to opt out of doing business with credit reporting agencies like Equifax, which collect data indirectly, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation Vice President Daniel Castro said during an interview on C-SPAN's The Communicators to be televised Saturday and posted here Friday. There are legitimate questions about government oversight for credit entities, he said. Castro believes policymakers should consider ways to make certain types of consumer data less valuable. Social Security numbers, one of the most valuable pieces of information, shouldn’t be the sole input for verifying identity, he said. Castro was asked about ITIF’s study on the cost of the U.S. adopting a federal privacy law mirroring laws in the EU or California (see 1908050058). The key is to create a privacy law at reasonable cost, he said: Consumers should have enhanced privacy, but they should retain access to innovative products and services. On data breaches, such as those that Capital One, Equifax and Target have suffered, the analyst said that companies could offer customers a "menu of options" such as password-storage or other services rather than frequent credit monitoring at no cost. He noted that such monitoring is often provided for free, anyway. Equifax didn't comment right away Thursday.

It’s a “significant problem” that consumers lack the ability to opt out of doing business with credit reporting agencies like Equifax, which collect data indirectly, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation Vice President Daniel Castro said during an interview on C-SPAN's The Communicators to be televised Saturday and posted here Friday. There are legitimate questions about government oversight for credit entities, he said. Castro believes policymakers should consider ways to make certain types of consumer data less valuable. Social Security numbers, one of the most valuable pieces of information, shouldn’t be the sole input for verifying identity, he said. Castro was asked about ITIF’s study on the cost of the U.S. adopting a federal privacy law mirroring laws in the EU or California (see 1908050058). The key is to create a privacy law at reasonable cost, he said: Consumers should have enhanced privacy, but they should retain access to innovative products and services. On data breaches, such as those that Capital One, Equifax and Target have suffered, the analyst said that companies could offer customers a "menu of options" such as password-storage or other services rather than frequent credit monitoring at no cost. He noted that such monitoring is often provided for free, anyway. Equifax didn't comment right away Thursday.

The American Civil Liberties Union-California is offering misleading information about accuracy of facial recognition technology, said Information Technology and Innovation Foundation Vice President Daniel Castro Wednesday. The ACLU scanned 26 California legislators, and claimed about one in five incorrectly matched with criminal mugshots. Independent federal government testing shows the top face-scanning technology is more accurate than humans at identifying faces, Castro said. This is the second time the ACLU used questionable testing methods (see 1807260037 and 1807300045), he said: “Claims that are not observable, testable, repeatable, and falsifiable are not science.” The ACLU didn't comment.

The American Civil Liberties Union-California is offering misleading information about accuracy of facial recognition technology, said Information Technology and Innovation Foundation Vice President Daniel Castro Wednesday. The ACLU scanned 26 California legislators, and claimed about one in five incorrectly matched with criminal mugshots. Independent federal government testing shows the top face-scanning technology is more accurate than humans at identifying faces, Castro said. This is the second time the ACLU used questionable testing methods (see 1807260037 and 1807300045), he said: “Claims that are not observable, testable, repeatable, and falsifiable are not science.” The ACLU didn't comment.

About 10 comments from associations and companies that would be affected by France's digital services tax backed U.S. concern, many saying there's a discriminatory DST intent against American companies. Some told the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in advance testimony that U.S. tariffs on French imports aren't the way to fix the problem. Sixteen filings in USTR-2019-0009 were posted through this week. A USTR hearing is set for Monday (see 1907150037).