In today’s Quick Hits, we learn why self-regulation on data privacy issues may not be effective, discuss a school’s creative attempts to convince students about the importance of online safety, and dig into the latest dispute over Facebook’s origins.

–

The Case Against Data Privacy Self-Regulation

A new article in the Wall Street Journal uses the catalog industry as a model to show why self-regulation on data privacy issues may not be effective among Internet companies. According to the non-profit group Catalog Choice, which helps facilitate opt-out for direct mail catalogs, “95% of catalog-removal requests are honored.” However, “many direct-mailers drag their feet on removals or don’t offer clear policies on information-sharing.” The article then offers examples of companies that are slow or non-responsive when it comes to opt-out requests. An additional post in the Wall Street Journal’s Digits blog also discusses the issue.

School District Proves Point About Internet Safety in Creative Assembly

A Connecticut high school found a creative and powerful way to connect with students on the issue of Internet privacy. According to an NBC report, the school showed a slide show to students comprised of the students’ ”actual photos, Facebook updates and tweets posts.” Somewhat ironically, the students called the slideshow an “invasion of privacy,” despite the fact that all of the information used in the presentation was shared publicly online. Despite their anger over the slideshow, students learned a valuable lesson about anonymity on the Web.

Man Claims Stake in Facebook, Offers E-mails as Proof

A New York businessman, who filed a lawsuit against Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg last year claiming he had a 50% stake in the multi-billion dollar company, is back and, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, “has filed new court documents with a series of e-mail messages purportedly from Facebook Inc. to bolster his claim to owning at least half the social networking giant now valued $50 billion or more.” In related news, a judge recently rejected a request by the famed Winklevoss twins to withdraw a previous settlement with Facebook that netted the brothers, and early investors in the website, $20 million in stock.