Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!crdgw1!uunet!world!bzs From: bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk Subject: Re: Lotus Market Place Message-ID: Date: 24 Nov 90 21:08:59 GMT References: <48683@cornell.UUCP> <1990Nov21.054734.10332@looking.on.ca> Sender: bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) Distribution: comp.org.eff.talk Organization: The World Lines: 30 In-Reply-To: brad@looking.on.ca's message of 21 Nov 90 05:47:34 GMT I don't believe we need more laws regarding commercial databases (we probably do to limit the govt.) "All" you really need is a few lawsuits which produce damages due to real harm. The feared damages are already litigable (since what's litigable is quite broadly defined.) Lawsuits, class-action suits etc with real monetary awards are heard loud and clear in the business sector. It also forces the plaintiffs to clearly define what the harms might be (actually, what the harm was.) I think that's eminently reasonable. The problem with trying to craft laws a priori to accomplish the same is the tendency to badly define what the feared harms exactly are and one will probably end up with vagaries like "invasion of privacy" or laundry lists of cans and can'ts that may or may not reflect realities, just best guesses. Maybe what we really need is the ability to copyright our own information, clearly it's valuable property, and it seems reasonable that I own my own name and address etc. Then we could license our info out and collect royalties for the right to market to ourselves or use our info for credit or statistical/actuarial reports. Something like an ASCAP clearinghouse might be just the model. -- -Barry Shein Software Tool & Die | {xylogics,uunet}!world!bzs | bzs@world.std.com Purveyors to the Trade | Voice: 617-739-0202 | Login: 617-739-WRLD