--- begin forwarded text From: john.t.sabo@ssa.gov Date: Thu, 17 Apr 97 18:30:41 -0500 To: members@lists.Commerce.Net MMDF-Warning: Parse error in original version of preceding line at lists.Commerce.Net Cc: john.t.sabo@s3abac8.ns1.barrnet.net MMDF-Warning: Parse error in original version of preceding line at lists.Commerce.Net Subject: Social Security Public Forums Mime-Version: 1.0 Sender: members-owner@ssa.gov Precedence: bulk +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ This message was addressed to: members@lists.commerce.net +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ Fellow Commercenet Members: I wanted to make you and your companies aware of an important series of six National Forums that the Social Security Administration will be conducting throughout the country beginning May 5 through the week of June 9, in which SSA will seek public input and expert advice about the appropriate customer authentication and privacy safeguards needed to support SSA's Internet transaction services and ensure public trust. The forums are in response to the media and public concerns raised about our test of Interactive PEBES, which allowed individuals to request a Personal Earnings and Benefit Estimate Statement from SSA online and receive the response online, rather than via the mail, after providing five knowledge-based customer authenticating elements. The initial concerns were centered about the use of the five elements, but media attention soon extended to a range of intermingled Internet and security concerns. As a result, we suspended the test and announced a 60-day period of expert and public input on this important public policy issue. We invite interested CommerceNet members to consider participating in the forums and offering your expert opinion to the government. I'm including current information about the forums, and expect to have more details shortly. I'll be contacting members I know who have expressed interest in providing input, but would welcome hearing from other companies who would like to participate in informed public discussion and public education. John Sabo Social Security Administration --------------------------------------------------------------------- Social Security National Forum on Internet Services -- Backgrounder We are seeking expert opinion regarding a major public policy issue facing the Social Security Administration: the appropriate privacy, system security and other safeguards necessary for SSA to provide transaction services on the Internet with strong public confidence. You may be aware that, in response to public concerns raised about our test of the Interactive Personal Earnings and Benefit Estimate Statement (Interactive PEBES) service on the Internet, SSA suspended the test and announced that we would seek public input on the design of the system, particularly with respect to the authentication and privacy policies and system safeguards necessary to ensure public confidence in Interactive PEBES and in future Internet services planned by SSA. To do this, we have scheduled a series of public forums in Hartford (May 5), Des Moines (week of May 12), Atlanta (week of May 19), San Jose (week of May 26), Austin (week of June 2), and Washington D.C. (week of June 9). We also plan to schedule an Internet Town Meeting on our Website, www.ssa.gov. The forums will address important national issues which reach far beyond our test of the Interactive PEBES. The safeguarding of individual privacy -- as technology removes barriers to accessing confidential information -- and the public's understanding of and trust in using the Internet both for secure, confidential government services and business and financial services are the core critical issues. That is why your input is so important. We are now identifying interested individuals and organizations who wish to participate on panels at each of the six public forum locations. Although we are unable to provide compensation for your participation, we also invite comments in writing or via email if you cannot attend a forum in person. We envision three 1 1/4 -hour panels of 5 people expert in these broad areas: Privacy, Systems Security and the Business/Financial Internet community. There will also be open sessions where members of the public may register to speak. However you or your company may choose to participate, I urge you to consider offering us your thoughtful input into this important national discussion. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This message was sent by a majordomo-based automatic list manager. Subscriptions to and archives of this list are available to CommerceNet members, partners, and invited guests. For further information send a mail message to 'members-request@lists.commerce.net' with 'help' (no quotations) contained in the body of your message. --- end forwarded text ----------------- Robert Hettinga (rah@shipwright.com), Philodox e$, 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA Lesley Stahl: "You mean *anyone* can set up a web site and compete with the New York Times?" Andrew Kantor: "Yes." Stahl: "Isn't that dangerous?" The e$ Home Page: http://www.shipwright.com/