Minnesota Passes First Online Privacy Law

Subotai writes: "Finally a state with a clue. Today, Minnesota passed a law forcing ISPs to notify customers before they sell information about them and tell them how to prevent it." Finally, a nice example of how a bill becomes a law.

Comments

or not

[austad]

Finally a state with a clue.

While this law is cool, I wouldn't say MN has a clue. They are forcing everyone to pay for our new stadium by the imposition of a "sin tax". The tax is in effect on some stuff in Minneapolis now, and will roll out to the whole state by 2004. Tax is $1 on a bottle of beer, around $3.50 on a pack of cigarettes, $5 for a lap dance (I shit you not), and taxes on lingerie and other such things.

While it's true that you don't need to buy these things if you don't want to pay for the stadium, it sucks for those of us who regularly buy these things and could give a rats ass about the stadium.

Yes, die! In committee!

[andy@petdance.com]

Bah, all you need is Saturday morning television to know how a bill becomes a law.

3rd parties, and the 2nd part of the bill

[teambpsi]

As an ISP in Minnesota, I seriously wonder about the slippery slope of legalese like "joint-venture" which isn't technically a "third-party". Don't get me wrong, I'm a privacy freak, and QWEST deserves worse...

The second part of the bill is frankly not feasible -- from a forced implementation standpoint:

"A second part of the bill follows the lead of other states that have adopted rules to try to control unwanted e-mail. It would require companies sending unsolicited advertisements to include the letters "ADV" in the subject line of e-mails -- "ADV-ADULT" for material of a sexual nature -- to make it easier to filter out."

And what mechanism is in place to:

a. police it?
b. enforce it?
c. litigate it? and at who's expense?

and lets talk jurisdiction here....or lets not ;)