Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!maytag!looking!brad From: brad@looking.on.ca (Brad Templeton) Subject: Re: What is private information? Organization: Looking Glass Software Ltd. Date: Wed, 26 Dec 90 08:16:15 GMT Message-ID: <1990Dec26.081615.27988@looking.on.ca> References: <13284@milton.u.washington.edu> <1990Dec22.040101.26926@ddsw1.MCS.COM> <13444@milton.u.washington.edu> <1990Dec25.062336.16836@looking.on.ca> Yes, I forgot to mention that you also want to define the level of privacy when your information is going to a delivery company, or credit company, or bank, etc. Somebody once pointed out to me that American Express has very detailed knowledge of the economy. They know down to the day almost every retailer's sales levels, and something about the buying habits off their members. He suggested that the investment end of A.E. could use that to buy and sell shares. "Hey, Sears sales are really up this month. Gonna be a good quarter for them...." We don't always want immediate destruction of the info by delivery companies. For example, often one signs for delivery, and you want that record around later if there's trouble relating to the product or delivery. Same applies to bank transactions or credit cards -- clearly the credit card info stays at least until you pay it, and the cheque info until the canceled cheque is returned to you. I also didn't point out that there are often many different types of information exchanged in a transaction that go at different levels. The Telco publishes your name and number. You expect it to keep the records of who you called highly confidential. You would like them destroyed after the bill it settled, although you would be glad to let them collect general stats before destroying them. While I am in favour of implicit or explicit contracts of confidentiality, I do not want to force them on people. Those who wish to waive the terms may. And companies can be free to refuse service to those who insist on too much confidentiality, unless they're monopolies, or there is "privacy fixing." (like price fixing) You can always take your business elsewhere. Today few care. In the future, they will care. -- Brad Templeton, ClariNet Communications Corp. -- Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473