The National Cyber Security Alliance announced Wednesday that it will add Google to its board of directors.

The announcement comes as Google's health division has increased activity this summer to protect patient rights. In June, Google Health endorsed an industry-wide Declaration of Health Data, an initiative launched by HealthDataRights.org to protect patients' electronic health data. And in July, Google Health partnered with the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization to launch an online living will program.

Google faces competition in the patient rights arena from Microsoft's patient health record technology platform HealthVault, launched in 2007 and endorsed by the Patient Privacy Rights Foundation. Microsoft is already on the NCSA board of directors, along with Cisco, McAfee, EMC, SAIC and Symantec.

The NCSA is a nonprofit group of government, corporate, nonprofit and academic organizations designed to provide public education and awareness on Internet safety and security.

Michael Kaiser, the NCSA's executive director, said the organization is welcoming Eric Davis, Google's head of anti-malvertising, to its board of directors.

"We look forward to partnering with Google as we plan and implement new comprehensive education and awareness efforts. Google's unique perspective will be invaluable," Kaiser said.

According to the NCSA, Davis is widely recognized as a thought leader on online trust and safety issues and brings more than 15 years of consumer education and marketing experience to the board. He currently leads efforts to develop and implement policies, processes and tools to protect the Google network, its consumer and advertising products and its users.

"For Google, there is no higher priority than the safety and security of our users," Davis said. "We look forward to becoming an active member on the NCSA board and helping users more safely enjoy all the benefits the Internet has to offer."