On October 23, Adobe announced that with its software update (Digital Editions 4.0.1), the collection and transmission of user data has been secured. Adobe was true to its word that a fix would be made by the week of October 20 correcting this apparent oversight.
For those who might not know, a recap: Adobe Digital Editions is widely used software in the ebook trade for both library and commercial ebook transactions to authenticate legitimate library users, apply DRM to encrypt ebook files, and in general facilitate the ebook circulation process—such as deleting an ebook from a device after the loan period has expired. Earlier in October, librarians and others discovered that the new Adobe Digital Editions software (4.0) had a tremendous security and privacy glitch. A large amount of unencrypted data reflecting ebook loan and purchase transactions was being collected and transmitted to Adobe servers.
The collection of data “in the clear” is a hacker’s dream because it can be so easily obtained. Information about books—including publisher, title, and other metadata—was also unencrypted, raising alarms about reader privacy and the collection of personal information. Some incorrectly reported that Adobe was scanning hard drives and spying on readers. After various librarians conducted a few tests, they confirmed that Adobe was not scanning or spying, but nonetheless this was clearly a security nightmare and potential assault on reader privacy.
The American Library Association contacted Adobe about the breach and asked to talk to Adobe about what was going on. Conversations took place and Adobe responded to several questions raised by librarians.
Now that the immediate problem of unencrypted data is fixed, let’s step back and consider what we have learned and ponder what to do next.
- We learned that few librarians have the knowledge base to explain how these software technologies work. To a great extent, users (librarians and otherwise) do not know what is going on behind the curtain (without successfully hacking various layers of encryption).
- We can no longer ensure user privacy by simply destroying circulation records or refusing to reveal information without a court order. This just isn’t enough in the digital environment. Data collection is a permanent part of the digital landscape. It is lucrative and highly valued by some, and is often necessary to make things work.
- We learned that most librarians continue to view privacy as a fundamental value of the profession, and something we should continue to support through awareness and action.
- We should hold vendors and other suppliers to account—any data collected to enable services should be encrypted and retained for only as long as necessary with no personal information collected, shared, or sold.
What’s next? We have excellent policy statements regarding privacy, but we do not have a handy guide to help us and our library communities understand how digital technologies work and how they can interfere with reader privacy.
- We need a practical guide with diagrams and a narrative that is not too technicalese (new word, modeled after “legalese”).
- We have to inform our users that whenever they key in their name for a service or product, all privacy bets are off.
- We need to understand how data brokers amass boatloads of data and what they do with it.
- We need to know how to opt out of data collection when possible, or never opt in in the first place.
- We need to better inform our library communities.
A good suggestion is to collaborate with vendors and other suppliers and not just talk to one another at the license negotiating table. By working together, we can renew our commitment to privacy. The vendors have extended an invitation by asking to work with us on best practices for privacy.
Let’s RSVP “yes.”
CARRIE RUSSELL is program director of Public Access to Information in the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy.