Worried about plans for California's "smart grid"? We are too. Energy usage data, with new hyper-close monitoring provided by the "smart grid", allows intimate reconstruction of your household activities -- like when you wake up, when you come home, and when you go on vacation.

These concerns sparked our comments to the state's Public Utilities Commission last week, calling on the agency to consider critical privacy questions as it rolls out its "smart meters" across California. Now there's a chance for you to learn more and weigh in. This Friday, the California PUC is hosting a public hearing in San Francisco from 9:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m. at its headquarters at 505 Van Ness Ave. A panel on ensuring public privacy runs from 10:30 a.m. to noon. We hope to see you there.

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