IP: Some comments on: A favor PLEASE look at and answer this question

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

> 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)