Slashdot Mirror
Minnesota Bill Would Prevent Disclosure of Web Habits
jweb writes: "The Minneapolis Star Tribune is running an article about a bill in the Minnesota legislature that would make it illegal for an ISP to disclose personal information about websites that its customers visit. According to the article, this bill has passed both houses of the legislature, with one key difference: the House version requires customers to 'opt-out' of this information-sharing, but the Senate version would be 'opt-in', requiring the customer to specifically state that they would like their personal information made available. Not suprisingly, AOL and Yahoo are lobbying against it."
You've just made your own counterargument.
Information wants to be free. Computers are devices that are designed to replicate and transmit information. Once a copy of the information exists, it can be replicated indefinitely and passed on from person to person.
As a practical matter, there's no such thing as "letting a little bit of information out". It's like being a little bit pregnant.
You can give information to groups you trust not to abuse it, but as soon as you make a mistake, you're fscked.
I choose to give some personal information to Slashdot to set up an account because I trust them to keep it reasonably secure, and to inform me when they're 0wned :)
Likewise, I choose to deny - to the extent that I'm capable - giving information to Doubleclick, Microsoft Passport, and basically anything else with a TrustE seal on it, because the only thing I trust such groups to do with that information is sell it to anyone who wants it.
picture this...
... oh, you want (with emphasis) deep data retreval? ... (eyes spin and green dollar signs come up) Yes we can go back that far. (cha-ching sound)
... You too, thanks. (hangs up phone, turns to hand a slip of paper to someone off camera, revealing a cleric's collar) Sister Doris, would you issue a check to these folks from the Church's "alternate evangelism" fund please, and what is the next ISP in the yellow pages?
(location is an ISP call center, a phone rings)
ISP phone droid #729: (picks up phone) Hello, this is $ISP, how may we make your ride on the information super highway smoother?
caller: I'd like to purchase a list of your users that visit sights like mine for marketing purposes.
phone droid: let me transfer you to marketing.
(cut to plush office, with a sleazball in a suit... plaque on wall reads "salesman of the year 1999")
marketing guy: Why yes Mr. Smith, we can do that. Simply provide us a list of domain names, and we can start send you a list of all $ISP customers that visited that site in the past month
(cut to small office, large crucifix hanging on wall behind man on phone)
man: Yes, that's the end of my list of domains. Uh-huh... yeah... ok I'll be looking forward to it in my inbox, and the check is on it's way.
(cut to another view of the same man in the same office, latter that week, working at a computer, removes floppy from diskette drive and turns to hand it to a woman at a smaller desk in the corner)
man: Sister Martha, would you cross reference this list of email addresses against the church's roster, anyone that appears on both lists, please send them a tithe reminder, jot a note suggesting they meet with me after services on the back. Give the ones that don't match to brother Bruce as potential new members of the One True Way World Church, for his email campaign to save the lost souls.
(fade to black, ominous music playing.)
Think it won't happen?
Think that's air you're breathing?