Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!apple!bionet!agate!shelby!msi.umn.edu!noc.MR.NET!nic.stolaf.edu!thor.acc.stolaf.edu!sobiloff From: sobiloff@thor.acc.stolaf.edu (Chrome Cboy) Newsgroups: comp.society.futures Subject: Re: Databases and comm channels: future trends? Message-ID: <1990Nov5.220807.27066@acc.stolaf.edu> Date: 5 Nov 90 22:08:07 GMT References: Sender: news@acc.stolaf.edu Reply-To: sobiloff@thor.acc.stolaf.edu (Chrome Cboy) Organization: St. Olaf College; Northfield, MN Lines: 78 In article janssen@parc.xerox.com (Bill Janssen) writes: >Can we realistically prevent nosy people from amassing large databases >on us? No. With mega-computing power available, won't most semi-public >things we do be available for scrutiny? Yes, but you're using the wrong tense--we are already incredibly "trackable" thanks to credit card verification, and hotel/travel reservation systems. Perhaps our best bet is to >establish a policy (tradition?) of being able to *buy* our way off of >large databases... So only those that are rich enough can maintain some semblence of privacy? No thanks... Or perhaps a public utility commission watchdog >system would suffice? Something that may prove to be effective: a federal law prohibiting the maintenance of records that are more than n years old (n = 3 or 5). Of course this just opens up an incredible market for "black data," but then what else is new? But how would that stop, say, Brazilian data >companies? It won't; they'll just buy the data tapes an employee "securely disposes of" and sell the information to the highest bidder. And with a phone connection, who cares what what country >the data company resides in? To eliminate hidden biases, shouldn't >data companies be operated by a disinterested party? And how does one >find such a party? Would *you* trust a data company run by the >government? No, I wouldn't trust the government any more than a private corporation. For example, 68% of the records that TRW keeps about your credit history are innaccurate, and they are one of the most accurate. Even federal databases have incredibly poor accuracy ratings. >How many phone companies reserve the right to evict customers for >making too many phone calls? None, unless the calls are of an obscene or harassing manner. You seem to be confusing the telephone company, which operates under the law as a common carrier, and Prodigy, which is *not* a common carrier. Like it or not, they can censor as much as they like--legally. Are these "chain letters" the equivalent >of obscene or crank calls? See above. Can I get the Postal Service to stop >delivering junk advertising supplements? No, but there is a private group of individuals who will lobby, and even sue, on your behalf to keep your name off bulk mailing lists and cold call lists. (Don't know the name, however....) Is there a difference in >common carrier status between bboards on Prodigy and e-mail on >Prodigy? Prodigy as a whole is not a common carrier, no matter how you decide you wish to express yourself (email or bboard). Sorry to sound so terse, but you asked a lot of questions I don't want to write a million-line reply... :-) -- ______________ _______________________________________________________/ Chrome C'Boy \_________ | "One of the biggest obstacles to the future of computing is C. C is the last || attempt of the high priesthood to control the computing business. It's like | | the scribe and the Pharisees who did not want the masses to learn how to || read and write." -Jerry Pournelle |