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From: cyberoid@milton.u.washington.edu (Robert Jacobson)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Re: What is private information?
Message-ID: <14285@milton.u.washington.edu>
Date: 13 Jan 91 00:10:48 GMT
References: <6750001@hp-vcd.HP.COM> <3566@gazette.bcm.tmc.edu> <5775@rsiatl.Dixie.Com>
Organization: Human Interface Technology Lab, Univ. of Wash., Seattle
Lines: 19


People applying for work are regularly denied employment based on past
filings for workers compensation (injuries on the job), but the evidence
is apochryphal...it seldom makes it into print!  Same for applicant
renters who have challenged a landlord's upkeep, etc.  These databases
are more public, available usually only to landlords.  Doctors have
databases about patients who have filed malpractice suits, and will
refuse to attend to these patients' needs.  Finally, about five years
ago when the Southern California ACLU exposed a police officer's 
loading of "leftists'" private records into a right-wing political
group's computers, it was intimated that police department "red squads"
in several cities maintain an underground network to trade information
for political purposes.

It would be refreshing for higher level law enforcement to look into
these technology-aided civil-rights abuses, and thus display a more
even hand than when they only go after private hackers.

Bob Jacobson