Where is the Line Between Public and Private Data?

I found an interesting article in Beyond Computing.  The atricle,
entitled "Where Is the Line Between Public and Private Data?" written
by Dr. H. Jefferson Smith, may be of some interest to those on the list.

The article basically hashes over the Government's trend in selling data
about its citizens to companies.  While I knew various state agencies
sold driver's license data to credit card companies, I had no idea about
the depth of what is going on.

The U.S. Postal Service is selling the NCOA (National Change of Address)
data to credit card companies.  Some junk-mailing lists are also 
produced.

Drivers license data is used by marketing companies, to target specific
sections of the public (ie, people who wear glasses, short people,
etc.).

--Begin Exerpt--
"Here's another example.  In 1992, it was reported that voter records in
a certain county were for sale on a CD-ROM disk (1.25 million voter
records were priced at $99).  The disk contained names, addresses,
phone numbers (in some cases, unlisted numberse), occupations, political
affiliations, birthplaces and birth dates.  Another company sold a CD
database that contained information from deed filings: the owner's name
and address, when the property was purchased, the number of bathrooms
and bedrooms in the house, the square footage and property assessments."
--End exerpt

What suprises me is that if had the first CD-ROM, it would be very
easy for me to apply for credit cards in other peoples names... I
shudder to think...

The article goes on to further explain the government's lusts over
private databases and "'The only reason you should fear the use of such
records is if you have something to hide' is an often-heard argument."

 
-- 
Joe N. Turner		Telecheck International
turner@telecheck.com    5251 Westheimer, PO BOX 4659, Houston, TX 77210-4659
compu$erv: 73301,1654	(800) 888-4922  *   (713) 439-6597
Finger for PGP KEY.

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In article <9501302100.AA05636@TeleCheck.com>,
Joe Turner <turner@telecheck.com> wrote:
> 
> The U.S. Postal Service is selling the NCOA (National Change of Address)
> data to credit card companies.  Some junk-mailing lists are also 
> produced.

Minor point: the NCOA data is only available if you have the previous
address.  Mailers submit a list of name/addresses to an NCOA contractor
(severly limited in what they can do) and if there is a match with the
address supplied by the mailer, the address is updated.  You cannot
just call them up and buy mailing lists.

- --
America - a country so rich and so strong we can reward the lazy 
          and punish the productive and still survive (so far)

Don Melvin                  storm@ssnet.com                finger for PGP key.

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