Announcing a New Addition to the Frontier of Privacy
We are pleased to announce the addition of Eric Fulton as an Education Fellow for our Frontier of Privacy Initiative.
“The makers of the Constitution conferred the most comprehensive of rights and the right most valued by all civilized men – the right to be let alone.” – Justice Louis D. Brandeis
Research tells us that a large percentage of Montanans have concerns about the privacy of their personal information. Respondents to a Frontier Institute poll cited overwhelmingly that they want protections from government mass surveillance and assurances about how their private info is collected, stored, and shared.
Privacy concerns are understandable. At least 30 governments around the world are taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to expand their mass surveillance capabilities. And Americans increasingly feel that they are watched, manipulated and censored by “big tech”.
That’s exactly why we launched our Frontier of Privacy Initiative – to defend Montanans sacred right to privacy in new frontiers of technology.
And today, I am pleased to announce the addition of Eric Fulton as an Education Fellow for our Frontier of Privacy Initiative.
Eric will be a regular contributor to the Frontier Institute, breaking down the most pressing issues on the frontier of tech, identity and privacy. Be sure to check out his first post about how free market innovation can combat Big Brother.
Eric is a tech entrepreneur, information security expert, and self-described “identity evangelist,” with over 10 years of experience advocating for privacy and internet freedom.
With Frontier of Privacy, Eric continues his mission of contributing to a secure, free, open Internet.
In addition to contributing on our blog, Eric will be participating in a series of upcoming events around Montana, speaking about data privacy and how you can protect your online information from mass surveillance.
If you have a group would like to book Eric as a speaker, please contact me.
I am excited about the opportunity to partner with Eric and draw from his Montana-grown expertise as we set out to protect privacy in new frontiers of technology.
For Liberty,
Kendall Cotton
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The Latest
A couple bills at the legislature are on our radar this week that align with a question Frontier has been asking lawmakers all session: “If a regulation had to be waived during COVID-19, was it really necessary in the first place?”
- HB 226 from Rep. Katie Zolnikov of Billings allows for liquor stores and breweries to offer curbside pickup of alcohol – something allowed for the first time under temporary emergency order last year.
Our Take:
Thanks to emergency regulatory flexibilities, many of us enjoyed the benefits of being able to order a growler of beer for pickup or delivery for the first time last year. This process was convenient for both customers and businesses, and by all accounts was just as safe as ordering a growler at the brewery.
- HB 250 from Rep. Casey Knudsen of Malta allows pharmacists to continue to administer vaccinations to individuals age 3 years and older – something that has been temporarily allowed under emergency regulatory flexibilities.
Our Take:
This bill is a no-brainer. If pharmacists have been able to safely administer vaccines during the emergency, it makes sense to allow them to continue. This bill increases choices for patients and will make our healthcare system more resilient the next time we need mass vaccinations.
- HB 43 from Rep. Rhonda Knudsen of Culbertson is a bill the Frontier Institute has already endorsed. It permanently repeals regulations on telehealth that have been waived during the pandemic. In a huge statement of bipartisan support of waiving these regulations, the Montana House passed HB 43 100-0!