Since news broke that the National Security Agency collected phone and Internet records from millions of Americans, two federal lawsuits have been filed alleging breaches of constitutional rights and privacy, while national security officials said the surveillance programs thwarted "dozens" of terrorist attacks.

Since news broke that the National Security Agency collected phone and Internet records from millions of Americans, two federal lawsuits have been filed alleging breaches of constitutional rights and privacy, while national security officials said the surveillance programs thwarted "dozens" of terrorist attacks.



Online petitions now demand an end to digital spying, the Senate Intelligence Committee is scheduled for a briefing on Thursday, while Amazon reports sales of George Orwell's science-fiction novel "1984," in part about government surveillance, have jumped 7,000 percent.



Meanwhile, at Pease International Tradeport, the International Association of Privacy Professionals is featuring the national news about privacy breaches prominently on its daily "dashboard" news blasts and has "gotten a lot of clicks," said IAPP spokesman Sam Pfeifle.



Among IAPP members, the news is considered "great," he said, "because it brings it to the mainstream."



"The news has empowered privacy advocates," Pfeifle said.



The IAPP is a nonprofit organization representing privacy professionals around the globe whose jobs are to ensure their employers' data is protected. The NSA news, said Pfeifle, "gets right to the heart of what they do, which is to make sure their companies protect privacy and communicate the value of privacy in their companies."



News about NSA Internet data mining, about the collection of Verizon phone records, and that A-list tech companies' data was collected by the federal government is "a big story" for IAPP members, said Pfeifle. That's because they can now go to their managers and point to the importance of protecting digital assets, as well as the public "outcry if you don't take care of their data in a way they expect."



Pfeifle said the IAPP doesn't take political positions, doesn't advocate for any viewpoint or take positions "about the right way to do privacy."



"We advocate for the privacy profession and believe all companies should have privacy professionals," he said. "We're not one to say what the NSA is doing is wrong. We're saying pay attention and don't get caught with your pants down."



Also in response to the federal data mining, the IAPP is "leveraging our members and lawyers" to plan a program to advise members "what to do if an NSA letter shows up on your doorstep," said Pfeifle, who was asked, what do you do?



"We're working on that," he said. "We've got them working overtime."



The answer, he said, will include an understanding of the Patriot Act, under which the collection of civilian data was allowed. He said an analysis of how different companies responded to NSA demands for data will also be helpful.



"Maybe you hand over information, but not make it easy for them," he said. "Some companies did different things in response. You can say, 'Here is my database,' or you can sort it, or you can give it meta tags for searching. I think it's a balance."



That balance, he added, includes weighing a company's obligations to its members, its customers and "the country." "But to the vast majority of our members," he said, "the NSA is not going to come calling."



Still, the controversy could spawn new privacy laws and affect how business is conducted, according to Pfeifle. The European Union is currently discussing new privacy regulations that are trending to be more strict than American regulations and could affect trade relations, he said. Large American companies are lobbying in Europe against the proposed restrictions under the premise that it could hurt international commerce, he said.



Privacy could also become "a business differentiator," in that products could be developed and sold to feature privacy protections, he said. As an example, Pfeifle said, there's a "safe harbor" program for American companies to transmit data from Europe, adding there might be more like it to come.



He said Microsoft has a current campaign that accuses Google of reading customers' e-mails for advertising purposes.



"You didn't see that last year," he said.



Meanwhile, he added, Verizon, Google (which is represented on IAPP's board of directors) and Facebook are now all "on the defensive."



The IAPP has also been following a story in Maine which, said Pfeifle, is "close" to passing a law that will require a warrant for collection of cell phone data.



It's also monitoring the American Civil Liberties Union, which has "started ramping up their privacy advocacy," including filing a federal lawsuit against heads of the NSA and FBI for the collection of Verizon phone information pertaining to American citizens.



All of this, he said, is good for the privacy profession.



"We say all the time that if you want job security, go into the privacy industry," Pfeifle said. "It will grow in the next 10 years."



He advised there are things people can do to protect their own privacy.



For starters, he said, people should research decisions that affect their privacy with as much diligence as they do before buying a car or an appliance.



"We encourage people to educate themselves — to know if someone is selling your data," he said.



Privacy policies are required on every Web site, he said, while asking, "Have you read one?"



Most people don't and give implicit or implied consent for the use of their personal information for sales purposes, without even knowing it, he said.



Paying with cash is also a good way to maintain privacy, Pfeifle said.



"The difference between using a Starbucks rewards card and cash is that using cash will leave a much smaller trail," he said. "Paying a dollar at the toll booth, versus using a transponder, will also leave a much smaller trail."



In summary, he warned, "You might be trading privacy for convenience."