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Message Digest
Volume 28 : Issue 93 : "text" Format
Messages in this Issue:
Re: The Officer Who Posted Too Much on MySpace
Re: The Officer Who Posted Too Much on MySpace
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Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2009 09:37:06 -0700 (PDT)
From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com
To: redacted@invalid.telecom.csail.mit.edu
Subject: Re: The Officer Who Posted Too Much on MySpace
Message-ID: <6f9b23f0-e44d-4c1e-949a-258802eda7bf@v15g2000yqn.googlegroups.com>
On Apr 1, 1:09 am, MC <for.address.l...@www.ai.uga.edu.slash.mc>
wrote:
> When I was doing computer security work, I dubbed this the
> "small-circle-of-friends illusion." Some people imagine that when they
> post something for the entire public to see on the Web, it's still
> perfectly private and no "real" people (employers, authorities, etc.)
> are to be allowed to see it!
There are many entities, both public and private sector, that want to
exploit that "small circle of friends" illusion in order to collect
personal information.
It seems most people worry about "big brother" being the government,
but much data collection is conducted by and for private sector
interests and it is done secretly.
For example, if a person is a troublemaker, odds are they show up on a
private database of troublemakers, which is subscribed to by
businesses seeking to avoid dealing with such people.
At one time if an individual or family had a variety of problems but
then moved (fully legally) to a new town to make a fresh start, he or
she could do so, that is, make a fresh start with the old baggage (eg
a bad reputation, unresolved disputes) left far behind. But today all
those troubles are cataloged in some database, and the contents are (1)
easily searchable and accessed and (2) easily transmitted anywhere.
So, that dispute you had with your Long Island, NY landlord will haunt
you when you seek an apartment in Palo Alto, Calif.
This was forseen back in the 1970s and a US Government task force then
recommended that the Social Security number be only allowed to be used
for SSA and IRS purposes, nothing else. As we know, that
recommendation got nowhere.
In a discussion of this issue on the roads newsgroup, several people,
apparently journalists, were all for this sort of information
sharing. They claimed it was "public" years ago and "public" today
and computerization is irrelevent. I disagree. Years ago adverse
information would lay in the bottom of a single filing cabinet, hard
to find, hard to access, and hard to transmit. Computers have changed
all that and that MUST be considered in public policy and privacy
today.
***** Moderator's Note *****
IANALB ISTM such databases would be sued out of existence in short order.
Any attorneys want to weigh in?
Bill
Bill Horne
Temporary Moderator
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2009 13:54:52 -0700 (PDT)
From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com
To: redacted@invalid.telecom.csail.mit.edu
Subject: Re: The Officer Who Posted Too Much on MySpace
Message-ID: <6086420d-0f28-4f7a-837c-0f92bd1216ce@j39g2000yqn.googlegroups.com>
> ***** Moderator's Note *****
>
> IANALB ISTM such databases would be sued out of existence in short order.
What does IANALB and ISTM mean?
>> I Am Not A Lawyer, But
>> It Seems To Me
In any event, I am not a lawyer. But I suspect under the
circumstances such databases are perfectly legal because consumers
agreed to it or the law allows it.
When one visits a doctor, one usually must sign a form indicating the
doctor and insurance company may release or obtain medical and other
records as necessary. In essence the patient has given consent to
release of information. Likewise, when a patient sends in or uses
health insurance, an information release is required as well.
When someone rents an apt or otherwise does business with any kind of
registration, there usually is a form to fill out noting credit checks
and credit references and credit sharing.
I suspect credit and business interests have lobbied congress to pass
laws allowing the sharing of such information, even without consent.
For example, I never consented to the phone company sharing my payment
history, I never filled out any paperwork ever (I called over the
phone to order phone service and got it). But the phone company
states it reports payment history. AFAIK there's nothing I can do
about it if I want a landline phone.
Lastly, unless the law explicitly mandates privacy in a transaction, I
believe (remember I'm not a lawyer) there is no expectation of
privacy. In other words, if you and I have a business deal that you
assume is private but I share the details with the world, that's my
right. Your only recourse is if I libel or slander you, but if I tell
the truth I'm ok. Business and consumers share information all the
time. (Medical records are legally private but one can sign away that
right).
> Any attorneys want to weigh in?
Now obviously someone who wants to pay cash or make special
arrangements can protect their privacy. But trying to buck the system
is costly, cumbersome, and sometimes not even succesful.
And yes, in some cases a consumer may very well have the right to sue
and a good case. But lawsuits cost a lot of money. Businesses
usually have deeper pockets to fight and appeal a lawsuit than a
consumer has. (If a business is broke a victory will be meaningless).
------------------------------
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End of The Telecom digest (2 messages)
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