The U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is eliciting feedback from the public regarding new policies regarding privacy and drones, or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The request comes as many push for drone privacy laws and increased government accountability.
In a request for comments, the NTIA said it is beginning a “multi-stakeholder engagement” process over the next few months designed to help it address ongoing privacy concerns related to UAS.
As the Industry Grows, so do concerns
“This multi-stakeholder process aims to address privacy concerns with some potential uses of UAS while ensuring the United States maintains its leadership and promotes innovation in this growing industry,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Lawrence E. Strickling, in a release.
The process is due to a Presidential Memorandum released February 15 that directed the NTIA to develop best practices to outline privacy, accountability and transparency of drones and other UAS.
“As UAS are integrated into the NAS (National Airspace System), the Federal Government will take steps to ensure that the integration takes into account not only our economic competitiveness and public safety, but also the privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties concerns these systems may raise,” the White House said in the memo.
The memo calls on the NTIA to bring industry, civil society, technical experts, academics and other stakeholders together to craft best practices that mitigate potential privacy risks, while at the same time promoting growth and innovation.
