Your Privacy for Sale

By Jeffrey H. Corbett
CEO, Corb7 International Inc.

“There was of course, no way of knowing, whether you were being watched at any given moment. How often, or on what system, the Thought Police plugged in on any individual wire, was guesswork. It was even conceivable that they watched everybody all the time. But at any rate they could plug in your wire whenever they wanted to. You had to live, did live, from habit that became instinct-in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard, and, except in darkness, every movement scrutinized.” – George Orwell, 1984

It’s 2010 not 1984 but the image is amazingly familiar for any one whom has read Mr. Orwell’s work. There is very little of what was once considered privacy left. As recently as 2006, Senator Hillary Clinton called for a comprehensive privacy agenda again including the need for a “privacy bill of rights.” Senator Clinton expressed her perspective on privacy stating, “At all levels, the privacy protections for ordinary Americans are broken, inadequate and out of date. It’s time for a new comprehensive look at privacy. We need consumer protections that are up to date with the technological and national security needs of our time, for a world in which we can be confident that our security and our privacy are both protected.” Nothing, however, of any substance has been accomplished on this issue.

Privacy for Profit

For most of us who do not have to hide from the cameras of TMZ, the motive behind violating someone’s personal privacy is not gossip but money. Total strangers building lists upon lists are the real culprits. Data mining has become a multi-billion dollar industry with little in the way of checks and balances. The growth of Internet social networking sites which has seen tremendous criticism regarding privacy issues (with Facebook at the forefront) is a literal goldmine for these companies.

Of course there are those with sinister motives and the more information out there about you the easier it becomes for them. It is now possible to break into your home from a computer 3,000 miles away and leave little in the way of evidence. The information being taken can include everything from how much money you make, your medical records, social security numbers, phone call history, purchasing habits, credit card numbers, credit history, cars owned or leased, pets registered, names & ages of children and much more; the list is infinite. Often, the damages being done are subtle, quickly accomplished and not usually detected until much later. There have also been numerous documented cases of stalkers using this information and the results can be tragic.

Selling Information

Any list of information merchants must start with the traditional sellers using conventional sources which bring us to the major credit card companies. As much information as they have, or can get, is sold to third party vendors. Credit Bureaus are also in the business of selling information, and maybe most shockingly, a new player has evolved into this marketplace. State and local governments, who many citizens regard as protectors of privileged information, are now engaging themselves in the business of selling data. Cash hungry governments are selling information pertaining to civil filings, court records, traffic ticket information, voter registration, property rolls, etc. This data is being sold to “information brokers” for resale to anyone willing to pay. It has been recently estimated that the US Government maintains 16 files for every man, woman and child living in the United States. With a population of over 245 million that information base has reached an incredible level. The list of those willing to purchase such information include: attorneys, collectors, investigators or even potential employers and creditors.

Conclusion

Freedom is the ability to live life in peace without undo intrusions by government agencies, bureaucrats or others that have their own self-interests and agendas. Times have obviously changed but while there are many merits to building your internet profile perhaps there as more reasons to protect the privacy of the real you. As Ben Franklin once said, “let every man know thee, but let no man know thee thoroughly.”

More Information

Mr. Corbett’s bio Click Here
Corb7 International Click Here