Man Who Wants Database Has His Personal Info Splashed On Web!

Wired.COM ^ | December 15 2002 | By Paul Boutin

[independentmind]

People act like this "Information Awareness Agency" is going to be some new and frightening thing. Sorry, the new and frightening thing already exists.

Your typical private business doesn't have nearly the same amount of power as the federal government, though. And as far as I'm concerned, something needs to be done about the private sector as well. I sense the problems will only get worse with time.

[RnMomof7]

Great work...the powerful have believed themselves exempt from the invasion ...now they know..

[Jason_b]

A little something they have on over at salon.com
Has sound. Thought it was pretty funny, especially the talking pyramid.

TIA

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

Well, if it makes you feel good to know that you have a large credit limit, don't let me stop you. My point is that lenders are more than happy to give most anyone plenty of credit.

[dalereed]

It has nothing to do with feeling good.

It's a matter of being flooded with ads trying to repair my credit which I assume is good, give me credit cards, refinance my homes that don't have a mortgage to begin with and wouldn't finance a purchase under any conditions anyway.

Don't these people do any checking before the flood you with crap that insults your inteligence.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

It would cost them more to check you out than to spam you. That's all it is.

[PatrioticAmerican]

haha! I think releasing the personal information of all concerned is funny and ironic.

[SSN558]

"If I had a penny for every time they sold my database to marketers, I would be a rich man."

You certainly would be rich. In 1993 a chairman for one of the Society of Manufacaturing Engineers chapters sold the entire membership roster to the Thomas Register. He boasted to me that he got $150 dollars for the name of every degreed engineer on the list. I asked him how much he got for my name and he fell silent.

I have thought there has to be a way to prevent these jerks like marketeers, journalists, and politicos from profiting on our personel information.

First collect all of your personel information. I mean all of it. 1st grade report cards, speeding tickets, military and medical records, any and all inuendo, gossip, etc. Social Security number, bank records, credit card numbers, leave no stone unturned. Then publish and copyright the stuff. Next make your living sueing any and all that use the information.

Tell the data basers like Scott Nealy to get over it. I'll settle out of court for half your annual salary and retire in comfort.

[DAnconia55]

Are any posters HERE actually FOR this program???

This is the 'new' FR. They're even for anal probes of civilians, so long as a Republican is in charge of it.

[Mr. Morals]

I support it. It is an integral part of Homeland Security.

[wretchard]

First collect all of your personel information. I mean all of it. 1st grade report cards, speeding tickets, military and medical records, any and all inuendo, gossip, etc. Social Security number, bank records, credit card numbers, leave no stone unturned. Then publish and copyright the stuff. Next make your living sueing any and all that use the information.

Thanks for your excellent suggestion. If people are determined to profit for a trade in and individual's details, that individual should benefit correspondingly. If you can find a sympathetic lawmaker, such a bill could actually be drafted.

One model might be to publish the database of personal details as a webservice. Every hit on a person id costs a few cents to the authorized user. Privacy control will consist of limiting those of have access to the database.

The owner of the personal details (i.e. you) should be able to access the web service free of charge, so that you can fill in forms with it, or supply your doctor with records.

Your idea is an overall winner. I think you should seriously propose it. It is a fresh perspective on the privacy debate.

[SSN558]

I suppose this has merit but as usual I was not being serious. i double dog dare you to try it first, if you win one lawsuit I'm in. Know any Pro Boner lawyers that want to have some fun ?

[wretchard]

Ok. I'm contacting some lawyers. Wish me luck.

[SSN558]

Good Luck. Keep in touch i'm no stranger to controversy.

[dommie]

Need a John Poindexter T-shirt or bumper sticker?
www.cafeshops.com/johnpoindexter

[sneakypete]

Hmmmm,I wonder if the good Admiral has used his credit card to access any porn sites,buy sex toys,hire a escort,etc,etc,etc?

[sneakypete]

Actually, it proves that the SF Weekly has the right to amass this much information about John Poindexter -- and about you, if its editors saw fit. Naturally, John Poindexter has no right to acquire the same information about columnist Matt Smith.

What you are missing is that the SF Weekly isn't the government,and they don't have the powers the government has. Nobody from the SF Weekly is going to arrest you,indict you for any crimes,call you in for questioning,or seize your bank accounts. They also won't be working hand in hand with Bubba-2's new Office of Reich Security.

[sneakypete]

Whose life can withstand that kind of scrutiny?

Certainly not any of the Republican Senators who refused to vote to hold a Senate trail for Bubba-1.

[sneakypete]

We all know that once a program is in place it's very hard to shut down.

We all know gooberment programs are never shut down,only expanded. Look at the BATF and the Dept of Education.