NYT/Reuters: Data Brokers and Buyers Anger Congress

[DeepModem Mom]

Data Brokers and Buyers Anger Congress
By REUTERS
Published: June 25, 2006

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Almost every piece of personal information that Americans try to keep secret -- including bank account statements, e-mail messages and telephone records -- is semi-public and available for sale.

That was the lesson Congress learned over the last week during a series of hearings aimed at exposing peddlers of personal data, from whom banks, car dealers, jealous lovers and even some law enforcement officers have covertly purchased information to use as they wish.

U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee members also hoped the hearings would free up two measures to outlaw the practice that were mysteriously pulled from the House floor last month, apparently due to concerns in the U.S. intelligence community.

"We had the impression that there were no secrets any more. Now we know that for sure," said Rep. Ed Whitfield, a Kentucky Republican and chairman of the panel's oversight subcommittee.

He described a multimillion dollar industry that sells cell phone records for $200, Social Security information for $60 and a student's university class schedule for $80....

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/washington/politics-privacy.html

[Zorra]

1. Solution: Put a bounty on data brokers and declare open season.

That will put an end to this problem in about 3 hours, and the world would be a much better place.

[ixion]

2. Indeed. The only one who doesn't have access to your information

is you, apparently. :-( :wtf: :grr:

[KansDem]

3. Well said!

...and quite true.