It is now winter holiday time in the United States, and I am taking a break from posting. Privacy Lives will resume normal publication of in-depth coverage of privacy and civil liberty issues on January 4, 2010. Enjoy the holidays!

The Los Angeles Times reports a guilty plea from the man accused of stalking and secretly videotaping ESPN reporter Erin Andrews while she was naked in her hotel room and distributing the video online. Michael David Barrett, 48, of Westmont, Ill.,...

PC World reports on the scandal over Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s recent comments about privacy. Appearing on CNBC, Schmidt was asked whether or not users should inherently trust Google. Schmidt’s response was “If you have something that you don’t want...

ABC News in Australia reports: Victoria’s Attorney-General, Rob Hulls, has defended the state’s DNA testing systems after all court cases involving DNA evidence were suspended. Cases that require DNA evidence will be delayed until the new year to allow...

In a public release, the Department of Homeland Security’s Privacy Office highlights two parts of the homeland security grant guidance from FEMA, “Homeland Security Grant Program: Guidance and Application Kit” (pdf). The Privacy Office considers...