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Privacy
Commission to Study Solutions that Protect the Public through
Independent, Third-Party Verification
WASHINGTON,
D.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The American Institute of Certified
Public Accountants (AICPA) announced today that it supports the
pending "Privacy Commission Act" currently before the
U.S. House of Representatives that would form a 17-member,
politically appointed "Commission for the Comprehensive
Study of Privacy Protection" to explore solutions that will
protect privacy of information, both on- and offline.
During its
18-month review process, the Privacy Commission will focus on
the effectiveness and usefulness of independent, third-party
verification, culminating in a report that offers
recommendations on legislative and non-legislative solutions for
individual privacy concerns, possibly including education,
market-based measures, industry best practices and new
technology.
"Privacy
is one of the most pressing concerns of the American public. In
a recent IBM/Harris Poll, 94% of U.S. citizens said they were
concerned about the possible misuse of their personal
information," said Robert Elliott, Chairman of the AICPA.
"As the representative of over 335,000 individual members
of the accounting profession who deal with confidential
information on behalf of both individuals and businesses, we
feel strongly about the need to protect private information.
Consumers and businesses want to know that their privacy is
protected both on- and offline.
Efforts must
be made to balance the appropriate use of information for
business and government purposes with real privacy protection
for individuals. The formation of the Privacy Commission
proposed by H.R. 4049 is a step in the right direction towards
creating this balance through effective solutions that include
independent, third party verification."
According to
the House Committee on Government Reform, from which the Privacy
Commission Act legislation is being recommended for a vote on
the House floor, Americans are increasingly concerned about
their civil liberties and the security and use of their personal
information, including medical records, educational records,
library records, magazine subscription records, records of
purchases and other payments and driver's license numbers. In
addition, businesses are increasingly aware that their customers
expect them to adopt privacy policies and take all appropriate
steps to protect their information.
"We
encourage the House of Representatives to pass the `Privacy
Commission Act' quickly and recommend privacy solutions that
protect all Americans," said Barry Melancon, President and
CEO of the AICPA.
The American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) is the ISO
9001 certified national professional organization of CPAs in the
United States with more than 335,000 members in public practice,
business and industry, government, and education.)
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