Government affairs
Carrier IQ row prompts draft legislation on mobile privacy
US— Draft legislation to force companies to disclose when and if tracking software is installed on mobile devices has been published in the wake of the furore that erupted around Carrier IQ last year.
Efamro welcomes changes to EU data protection proposal
EUROPE— Research federation Efamro has welcomed changes to proposals for a new European data protection law, after an earlier draft raised concerns about the potential impact on research.
Privacy concerns raised over US government social media tracking
US— Congress members have raised concerns about the Department of Homeland Security’s social media monitoring programme.
MRIA receives complaints over Canadian pollster
CANADA— The Marketing Research and Intelligence Association is looking into complaints over a survey that referenced rumours of an MP’s possible resignation.
COI cuts research spend by 65%
UK— The Central Office of Information (COI), the UK government’s communications arm, cut its research spend by 65% last year to £9.5m, according to the latest annual accounts.
'Right to be forgotten' is unenforceable, says ICO
UK— The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s personal data watchdog, has come out against a proposed ‘right to be forgotten’, saying it is unenforceable and has implications for freedom of expression.
Australian government breaks MR spending record
AUSTRALIA— The Australian government, led by Julia Gillard’s Labor Party, spent a record A$33m on market research in the last financial year, according to press reports.
ONS seeks public views on national wellbeing indicators
UK— The Office for National Statistics has published a list of key indicators of national wellbeing, in the latest stage of its consultation.
EU trade orgs lobby European Commission to ban 'sugging'
BRUSSELS— Trade bodies Efamro and Esomar have written to the European Commission calling for rules that would ban companies from selling and fundraising under the guise of research.
MRA sees survey opportunity in Obama deficit plan
US— The Marketing Research Association (MRA) is hoping to hitch an exemption for the use of autodiallers in cellphone-based survey research to President Barack Obama’s package of deficit reduction measures.
Proposed EU data rules go too far, research bodies say
EUROPE— Industry bodies Esomar and Efamro have raised concerns about possible new European data protection rules, which they say could create obstacles for researchers.
Coppa proposals ruffle MRA
US— Proposed changes to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (Coppa), including plans to revoke the “email plus” option of obtaining parental consent, have raised concerns within the Marketing Research Association (MRA).
Sunshine rules for doctors keep survey exemption
US— Rules requiring doctors to disclose payments made by drug companies have been published – maintaining an exemption for survey-related incentives.
UK government spent £4.2m on MR in September
UK— The UK government spent over £4.2m on market research services in September, according to latest monthly departmental disclosures of all spending over £25,000.
Immigration minister rapped for release of 'unofficial' drug stats
UK– The statistics watchdog has written to immigration minister Damian Green criticising the release of “highly selective” unofficial figures that appeared to show a rise in the quantity of drugs seized by the UK Border Agency.
Commissioner wants 'explicit consent' for data use throughout EU
BRUSSELS— EU justice commissioner Viviane Reding wants European data protection laws to be updated to require companies to get the explicit consent of consumers before their data is used.
International Do Not Call Network launched
CANADA— Enforcement agencies from 12 countries have joined together to form the International Do Not Call Network (IDNCN) in a bid to stamp out unwanted telemarketing calls.
Research associations lobby for Census Bureau funding
US— A collective of census users including the American Association for Public Opinion Research and the Marketing Research Association have written to senate leaders to plead for more funding for the Census Bureau.