SESERV is co-organizing the FIA Session I.3 on "Economics of Privacy" at FIA Budapest. The session will be held on Wednesday, May 18, from 10:30 to 12:30.

The increasing use of the Internet has led to business models that are based on the exchange of personal information with online providers and third parties. Examples are Google’s GMAIL and FaceBook – companies that offer services for free in exchange for personal
information of their users, which is used for targeted advertising. There is an increasing discussion, whether personal information can be regarded as an “economic asset” and how such an “asset” should be priced and traded. As a consequence, viable business models for privacy are needed for the sustainable development of the services in the Future Internet. In addition, the huge popularity of the online social networks (Facebook has more than 500 million active users, roughly the population of the European Union) suggests a change in our attitude toward publicity. As publicity is becoming free, we may soon have to pay for privacy. Last but not least, offering privacy services for cloud computing is an itching issue for both
providers and users of the cloud, but the answer is still at large.

The purpose of this session is to address the economics of privacy in the Future Internet by steering discussions on how privacy attitudes among individuals have changed and would be in the Future Internet; what business models are used and whether and how privacy could be monetized. The session will explore how business models based on exchange of personal
information are driving FI services:

• business models for privacy for the sustainable services
• publicity is becoming free, we may soon have to pay for privacy
• privacy services for cloud computing is still an issue

The session will address

• how privacy attitudes among individuals have changed
• business models and how privacy could be monetized
• policy and legislation issues that impact on the economics of privacy

The session will, thus, discuss challenges with respect to innovative business models for privacy, pricing for/of privacy, and privacy as a service.A draft session agenda is available here