The Obama administration has announced(1) a plan to protect Internet users(2) in the United States. In February the administration proposed(3) what it calls(4) a Consumer Privacy(5) Bill of Rights(6).
The bill is meant to(7) give Americans more control over(8) their personal information. President Obama said(9) that “never has privacy been more important than today, in the age(10) of Internet, the World Wide Web(11) and smartphones.” Under(12) the Privacy Bill of Rights, Americans would have more control over what personal data(13) companies(14) collect from them and how they use it.
It also(15) would require(16) the companies to be more open about their privacy and security policies(17). Darren Hayes is head(18) of the Computer Information Systems Program at Pace University in New York.
He says many countries in Europe and Asia already(19) have online privacy laws(20) in place(21). He called the proposed legislation in the United States long overdue(22) and a step in the right direction(23).
“I think that in its present form it looks very effective(24) … The average(25) online user does need more transparency and more control over the use of their information.”
Professor Hayes says the Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights would hold(26) companies like(27) Facebook and Google to a higher level(28) of responsibility. “I think in practical terms it’s going to make(29) online companies more accountable(30) for what they do.
It also seeks to provide(31) more transparency about how third parties(32) are sharing(33) their information and give the user, hopefully(34), the ability to opt out(35) of having their information shared.”
The new measures(36) are part of a larger government effort to improve(38) online privacy. The administration has urged(39) Congress to pass legislation(40) in support of(41) the measures. It also wants lawmakers(42) to give the Federal Trade(43) Commission and state officials(44) additional powers to enforce(45) them.
Professor Hayes says the effectiveness(46) of the bill(47) will depend strongly(48) on that. In a related(49) development(50), a group of companies that make Internet browsers(51) agreed(52) to support plans for adding “do-not-track(53)” technology to their browsers.
The group agreed not to use tracking information to target(54) personalized ads(55) to users who do not wish(56) to be identified(57).
The companies will, however(58), still(59)
collect the information. For VOA Special English, I’m Mario Ritter. You
can find more stories about privacy and technology at
voaspecialenglish.com. (Adapted from a radio program broadcast
27Feb2012)
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VocabularyAnnounced = anunciou
- Users = usuários
- Proposed = propos
- Calls = chama
- Consumer Privacy = privacidade do consumidor
- Bill of Rights = carta de direitos
- is meant to = tem o proposito de
- over = sobre
- said = disse
11. World Wide Web = rede mundial
12. Under = sob
13. personal data = informações pessoais
14. companies = empresas
15. also = também
16. would require = exigiria
17. policies = políticas
18. head = chefe, líder
19. already = já
20. laws = leis
21. in place = em vigor
22. long overdue = muito atrasado(a)
23. step in the right direction = passo na direção certa
24. looks very effective = parece muito eficiente
25. average = mediano, habitual
26. hold = manter
27. like = como
28. higher level = nível mais alto
29. it’s going to make = irá tornar
30. accountable = responsável
31. seeks to provide = busca fornecer
32. third parties = terceiros
33. sharing = compartilhando
34. hopefully = esperançosamente
35. opt out = abandonar, sair
36. measures = medidas
37. effort = esforço
38. improve = melhorar
39. urged = pressionou
40. pass legislation = aprovar legislação
41. in support of = em apoio de
42. lawmakers = legisladores
43. Federal Trade = comércio federal
44. state officials = funcionários públicos
45. enforce = impor pela lei
46. effectiveness = eficácia, eficiencia
47. bill = projeto de lei
48. strongly = fortemente, totalmente
49. related = relacionado
50. development = desenvolvimento
51. browsers = navegadores
52. agreed = concordaram
53. do-not-track = não rastreável
54. target = alvejar
55. ads = anúncios publicitários
56. wish = desejar
57. identified = identificado
58. however = contudo
59. still = ainda