Facebook will be at Data Privacy Day 2012

Facebook has announced its participation in this year's Data Privacy Day, an event sponsored by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA). Here's what the Facebook Security team had to say about the meeting, which will take place on January 26, 2012:

Join the National Cyber Security Alliance for a Data Privacy Day 2012 live-stream featuring the Honorable Julie Brill, Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission and two expert panels. Our own Chief Privacy Officer for Policy Erin Egan will participate in a panel titled "Privacy & Security: Best Practices in Action," which will incorporate questions from the Facebook audience.

If you're interested, you can RSVP on the Facebook Event. The company is also encouraging you to ask questions on the Event's Wall in advance of the big day.

Here's the agenda:

AGENDA (all times Eastern)

[9:30] Welcome

Michael Kaiser, Executive Director, National Cyber Security Alliance Dan Solove, John Marshall Harlan Research Professor of Law, The George Washington University School of Law Paul Schiff Berman, Dean and Robert Kramer Research Professor of Law, The George Washington University School of Law

[9:40] The Honorable Julie Brill, Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission

[10:10] Reflections & Aspirations: The Past, The Present & The Future

Moderator: Christopher Wolf, Co-Chair & Founder, Future of Privacy Forum and Partner, Hogan Lovells US LLP

David Hoffman, Director of Security Policy and Global Privacy Officer, Intel

Gerard Lewis, Vice President, Deputy General Counsel & Chief Privacy Officer, Comcast Cable

[10:50] Privacy & Security: Best Practices in Action

Moderator: Christopher Wolf, Co-Chair & Founder, Future of Privacy Forum and Partner, Hogan Lovells US LLP

Rick Buck, Head of Privacy GSI, eBay

Erin Egan, Chief Privacy Officer, Policy, Facebook

JoAnn C. Stonier, Global Privacy & Data Protection Officer, MasterCard Worldwide

Bob Quinn, Senior Vice President-Federal Regulatory & Chief Privacy Officer, AT&T

[11:40] Close

Michael Kaiser, Executive Director, NCSA

As you can see, the event will feature participation from the FTC, which Facebook settled with almost two months ago. Here's what I wrote at the time:

The proposed settlement requires Facebook to take several steps to make sure it lives up to its promises in the future, and also contains standard record-keeping provisions to allow the FTC to monitor compliance with its order. More specifically, Facebook is barred from making any further deceptive privacy claims, is required to get consumers’ approval before it changes the way it shares their data, and is required to obtain periodic assessments of its privacy practices by independent, third-party auditors for the next 20 years.

Given all that, Facebook's participation in Data Privacy Day 2012 is probably a good idea. On the same day, Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg made a privacy commitment. Here's a relevant excerpt:

Last but not least, Zuckerberg today announced he is creating two new corporate officer roles: Michael Richter will become Chief Privacy Officer, Products, and Erin Egan will become Chief Privacy Officer, Policy. The two will make sure the company’s commitments will be reflected both internally (development of products and system security) and externally (working with regulators, government agencies, and privacy groups).

Erin Egan, Facebook's Chief Privacy Officer for Policy, will be at the event. This will be the first time we'll see Egan speak in his new role.

See also:

• EPIC: Facebook Timeline changes users' privacy settings
• EPIC vs Facebook: Privacy through obscurity
• Facebook: Timeline has nothing to do with privacy
• EPIC criticizes Facebook over Timeline launch
• 70% of Facebook users are comfortable with what they share
• Facebook CTO: most people have modified their privacy settings