Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!rsiatl!jgd
From: jgd@Dixie.Com (John G. DeArmond)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Re: What is private information?
Message-ID: <5775@rsiatl.Dixie.Com>
Date: 11 Jan 91 22:17:53 GMT
References: <1990Dec25.062336.16836@looking.on.ca> <6750001@hp-vcd.HP.COM> <3566@gazette.bcm.tmc.edu>
Organization: Rapid Deployment Systems (making go-fast things and things that-go fast)
Lines: 51

rick@pavlov.ssctr.bcm.tmc.edu (Richard H. Miller) writes:

>However, this is separate from the ATM/check validation system. You have the
>option of paying for your purchases with either your ATM card, a credit card,
>check or cash. If you use the first three, you use a small ATM terminal and if
>approved, the checker must copy the approval code into the scanner to clear the
>POS system. The two systems are not tied together *yet). Participation is
>voluntary in both systems.

IT's worse than that.  They ARE now tied together at the data concentration
point.  I can't say how I know this but I do.  And the situation is
getting worse.  I recently had myself removed as project manager of what
turned out to be a competitor to Citi.  It's interesting to look back
and see how ethical programmers were conned into working on this project.

Within a year, the grocery store will know exactly what you bought and
when you bought it and so will the manufacturers who are footing a large
part of the implementation bill.  The system exists now to create a very
complete personal consumption profile of you.  In case I don't have you
panicing yet, consider what will happen to your life or health or disability
insurance when the insurance pool finds out that you like to eat a LOT
of red meat or that you smoke or that you buy a significant quantity of 
birth control devices even though you are single?

There are people on this group who have poo-poo'ed the  dangers to personal
liberty involved with the collection of personal data.  I have to assume
that they either are not informed or are part of the problem.  The RAW
fact is that this information is being collected explicitly to make your
life miserable by reducing the risk assumed by big corporations such
as insurance companies.  And they are using first class propaganda and are
playing on peoples' greed in order to entice the people into voluntarily
(in some cases at least) submitting to this travesty.  By the time the
average joe realizes what has been done to him, it is too late; the
data is already committed to multiple databases.  What usually drives it
home is when the person is suddenly denied insurance or finds his 
rates jacked through the ceiling.  Or worse, finds the IRS on his 
case because he lives better than the model says he should.

NOW is the time to start pressuring your congresslime for some protection.
It will take vast pressure, as many politicians are securely in the 
insurance industry's pocket.  Wait around or poo-poo the dangers and 
one day you will be harshly reminded that you are not the average person
as defined by the models and as a result are out in the cold.

John

-- 
John De Armond, WD4OQC        | "Purveyors of speed to the Trade"  (tm)
Rapid Deployment System, Inc. |  Home of the Nidgets (tm)
Marietta, Ga                  | "To be engaged in opposing wrong offers but 
{emory,uunet}!rsiatl!jgd      |  a slender guarantee of being right."