Interesting People mailing list archives
IP: Some comments on: A favor PLEASE look at and answer this question
From: Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 07:23:26 -0500
From: "John Locke-Wheaton" <john.locke-wheaton () bigfoot com> To: <farber () cis upenn edu> Subject: Public: RE: A favor PLEASE look at and answer this question Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 09:30:31 -0000 Your question on how much we trust organisations that handle personal information about our lives - both government and commercial - triggered some interesting lines of thought. Not least, I have suddenly realised how little I trust organisations in which I would have placed great trust only a couple of years ago. And what little trust remains is dwindling with each passing month. Why is this? Am I getting more cynical with age, or are organisations - realising the commercial potential of the information they hold - under pressure to maximise the value of everything they own and do - getting braver about how close to the wind they can sail - understanding the power of the internet The internet works by both publishing and passing URLs (addresses for information and services). However, behind the scenes, it also works by cross-advertising, selling eyeballs to partner sites, selling email addresses and selling personal profiles. These ideas are not new in the bricks-and-mortar world, but the internet makes it both easy to do and economically attractive, with high numbers of low-cost transactions delivering small financial increments that add up to a lot of money. And you don't have to go to a dodgy bar to set up deals - it is all a click away from your nice safe desk. Europe has theoretically strong data protection laws to stop inappropriate leakage of personal information but I am not sure I trust European institution any more than those in less regulated countries. And anyway, as we have seen with government-regulated (or taxed) financial dealings, the internet makes it easy for companies to operate off-shore in a less controlled (and financially more rewarding) environment. The future looks to be a less secure place, with ever more emphasis on the individual protecting themselves. However, if an organisation does something that we consider to be undesirable with our personal information, what redress do we have? Law is too expensive and too risky - and may become un-enforceable across international borders. We could create a stockade around our net access devices using personalised equivalents of corporate firewalls. If we ride out across the new electronic frontier, gun-law rules. Except that as individuals, we don't have any guns! John Locke-Wheaton above the horizon +44 (0) 7044 011 532 voice PA, fax john.locke-wheaton () bigfoot com -----Original Message----- From: owner-ip-sub-1 () admin listbox com [mailto:owner-ip-sub-1 () admin listbox com]On Behalf Of Dave Farber Sent: 17 November 1999 10:01 To: ip-sub-1 () majordomo pobox com Subject: IP: A favor PLEASE look at and answer this question You answers strictly private and I will burn after scoring. A reply with the rating will be fine Please give a rating from 1 - not at all to 5 very much to the question of How much do you trust each of the following to keep any information they have on you private and not use it for direct support of your business with them (sell it or use it for other products) Your favorite airlines American Express credit cards Visa/Mastercard credit cards Macy*s (or other major stores) Your bank The Internal Revenue Service Your employer any other you feel like mentioning (put name and rating)
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- IP: Some comments on: A favor PLEASE look at and answer this question Dave Farber (Nov 23)