The White House will lay out ideas this week for protecting US consumers' privacy in an era in which the ubiquitous use of computers and mobile phones provides a constant data feed on individuals.
But after a 90-day review of "big data," the White House is expected to suggest ways to encourage companies to protect privacy and identify areas for further study, rather than calling for a legislative overhaul.
The Obama administration is treading carefully to avoid further antagonizing major technology companies and international allies angered by the government's data surveillance programs.
The review was led by John Podesta, senior counselor to president Barack Obama, who previously worked on tech privacy issues as a Capitol Hill staffer and as an aide to president Bill Clinton.
Podesta already has made clear that he is concerned technology could be used to discriminate against people for housing, credit, jobs, health and education.
But he has explicitly called his review a "scoping exercise" to look broadly at issues, not to develop detailed policies.
"The tech sector is probably the crown jewel of growing the economy in America right now. And it was clear he did not want the government to do anything to damage that needlessly," said Dick O'Brien, head of government relations for the American Association of Advertising Agencies and who was part of a meeting Podesta held with the advertising industry at the White House in March.
"We walked out with the feeling that he was there to learn," O'Brien said. "He has no ax to grind, as far as we could see."
Still, Podesta must offer concrete ideas, or he will face heat for just producing a "book report," said Max Everett, a consultant on cybersecurity and risk management issues who was chief information officer for Republican president George W. Bush.
"They don't need to have conclusions right now -- they just need to know which way to go," Everett said.
The review on big data was sparked by the revelations of ex-spy contractor Edward Snowden, who leaked information about the National Security Agency's data collection programs.
The backlash created a major political headache for Obama at home and abroad. Obama has taken steps to rein in the NSA, but he also sought to broaden the conversation about big data by ordering the review, pointing out that private companies and academics use the same kinds of information and techniques.
With electronic devices increasingly connected to the Internet, consumers are leaving more and more digital footprints that can be collected and analyzed, as they share location data through their phones and post personal information on social media.
For instance, smart thermostats, such as the Nest devices, recently acquired by Google, keep track of when a person is home, and fitness bracelets monitor biometric data such as heart rates.
With the Podesta report, the White House will seek to reframe concerns about data and privacy while showing that it takes the issue seriously and wants to do something about it.
Eric Schultz, a spokesman for the White House, said the report will "capture the key technological changes of relevance to our government and the future of privacy in America," and look for ways to minimize risks to privacy.
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