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Privacynotes Digest Protecting Privacy is Good for Business
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Published by: Mike Banks Valentine Privacynotes
privacy@privacynotes.com www.privacynotes.com
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September 12, 2002 Issue # 025
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.....IN THIS DIGEST.....
// -- MODERATOR COMMENT -- //
"Privacy a REACTIVE Issue Only?" ~ Mike Banks Valentine
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The lack of posts this week led me to contemplate what it is
about privacy that attracts comment. I've concluded that those
touched directly by privacy violations or abuses are most likely
to be interested in the issue. Our members with personal involvement
and experience are more likely to post.
This is no different than many major issues in that we rarely
proactively pursue, monitor and advocate for any change or legislation
until it directly affects our lives. This was the case for yours
truly as a victim of identity theft and is what eventually led
to the creation of this list.
The major issue that has surfaced this week in Cincinnati is
a prime example of how we wait until an issue becomes personally
relevant to even form an opinion about the issue, let alone lobby
our state elected officials for change.
Cincinnati is wrestling with the issue of posting public documents
on the web for open access to the public. This is so far unaddressed
by federal law and states are forming their own policies in an
almost random fashion, as illustrated by a Cincinnati's public
official's decision to post the city public documents online.
No policy exists saying that it is OK or not OK to do so.
Privacy advocates have long argued that the ease of access of
online documents removes the relative anonymity enjoyed previously
due to the inconvenience factor of researching, retrieval and
copying of those public documents at limited physical locations.
But now it's possible to spy on your next door neighbor by looking
up divorce records, court decisions, traffic fines, health records,
etc., from your computer at home or at work.
The convenience and ease of access of public documents has made
it possible to be a sleuth or an active busybody without leaving
your home. This means many more people will be looking at your
public documents unless steps are taken to protect them, both
online and offline. Now that those records can be easily posted
on the web, what is to stop anyone from doing the physical gathering
of private information offline and then posting it online for
all to see?
It has become common practice for savvy web searchers to gather
information available on the web about potential customers, employers,
marriage partners, friends, enemies or family. Most folks have
a skeleton or two in their closet that can be easily exposed through
publicly available information.
A common spam email soliciting a detective like net sleuthing
software uses the headline, "Destroy Anyone, Anywhere! Now you
can RUIN your enemies!" Surprising as it may seem, many people
find this notion attractive and buy that software in a bid to
harm others via their public records.
Have you or any acquaintances been affected by privacy abuses?
What was it that peaked your interest? Why are you on this list?
Is it professional, personal or simple curiosity?
I'd like to address the concerns of all list members and keep
the questions flowing to access the knowledge and expertise available
from fellow list members who are privacy professionals.
// -- PRIVACY NEWS -- //
Moderator note: There are two ways to access previously listed
privacy news stories. One is to visit Privacynotes archives, the
other (simpler) way is to visit http://privacynotes.com/privacy_news.html
where I also keep a privacy news archive.
SKELETONS have come out of the closets and are creeping along
Cincinnati's streets. Four years ago, it was time to move the
county's court records onto the Web. The documents were already
public. They were already electronic. Where else to put public
electronic documents but on the Internet? "It was the natural
progression of technology," said Mr. Cissell, the clerk of courts
for Hamilton County, whose seat is Cincinnati. State tax liens,
arrest warrants, bond postings Ñ all became searchable and accessible
on the Internet. "Everything we get is scanned and available,"
said Mr. Cissell, a former United States attorney. "It was very
easy to open the door to the public."
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/05/technology/circuits/05CINC.html
hen Congress passed the USA Patriot Act in those first panicky
weeks after 9/11, giving law enforcement more power to track down
terrorists, much of the response was either bewilderment or alarm.
Many lawmakers who voted for it admitted that they hadn't even
had a chance to read the bill. Civil libertarians, newspaper editorial
boards and others warned that the new legislation gave government
worrisome new powers to pry into peoples' private lives. While
the legislation touched on everything from secret courts to immigration,
some Internet provisions created particular anxiety. Right after
the act was passed, the Electronic Privacy Information Center,
a Washington-based research organization, printed the Fourth Amendment
on its Web Site with an epitaph: 1789-2001.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/07/arts/07SURV.html
