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Data Broker Medbase200 Sold Lists of Rape & Domestic Violence Victims

Posted by Soulskill on from the stay-classy dept.

McGruber writes "During her testimony (PDF) at a Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing Wednesday about the data-broker industry, Pam Dixon, executive director of the World Privacy Forum, revealed that the Medbase200 unit of Integrated Business Services Incorporated had been offering a list of 'rape sufferers' on its website, at a cost of $79 for 1,000 names. The company, which sells marketing information to pharmaceutical companies, also offered lists of domestic violence victims, HIV/AIDS patients, and 'peer pressure sufferers.' In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Integrated Business Services Incorporated President Sam Tartamella initially denied that his company maintained or sold databases of rape victims. After the Journal provided him a link to the 'rape sufferers' page, he said he would remove it from Medbase200's website and denied ever having sold such a list. The page was removed later Wednesday."

8 of 168 comments (clear)

  1. speaking of lists by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    The SEC database 'EDGAR' lists corporations, and required information are the names and contact information for corporate officers.....
    Just so you know that THEIR names are on lists, too.....

  2. Time to sell List of CEOs home addresses by tekrat · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I think I'm starting a business which will sell data on the 1% to anyone who wants it. It's time to even the odds.

    --
    If telephones are outlawed, then only outlaws will have telephones.
    1. Re:Time to sell List of CEOs home addresses by Valdrax · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Uhhhh... there are many more places in the world than that. The OP is right - if you're here, you're most likely part of the global 1%.

      The total population of the US, Canada, and the EU, as of 2008 is 550 million people out of a total global population of about 6.7 billion. 8% > 1%.

      Of course, this is an irrelevant distraction, because the phrase "the 1%" was coined to cover the top 1% of Americans, not the world.

      --
      If it's for-profit but free, you're not the customer -- you're the product (e.g., the Slashdot Beta's "audience").
    2. Re:Time to sell List of CEOs home addresses by Tom · · Score: 3, Insightful

      With ~two billion people living of off 2 dollars a day or less, with no chance of any meaningful education or healthcare, I believe it to be a rather strong argument.

      No, it isn't.

      I'm sure a hundred million kids get beaten daily. Doesn't make it right to beat yours.

      Some evil somewhere else does not justify an evil here and now.

      --
      Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
  3. Utterly despicable by Chas · · Score: 4, Insightful

    As if these poor peoples' lives weren't already shitty enough.
    Now we have a bunch of marketeer ass-hats singling them out as unique business opportunities.
    Yet again, making me wish I owned a gun, yet glad I don't, since I'd shoot these motherfuckers in a heartbeat.

    --


    Chas - The one, the only.
    THANK GOD!!!
  4. To all those who reply to privacy concerns... by cervesaebraciator · · Score: 4, Insightful

    with, "if you've nothing to hide," I hope this will make you consider how much privacy has to do with simple human dignity.

  5. Re:a fine point by Jah-Wren+Ryel · · Score: 3, Insightful

    She said they would remove the listing from their website. She did not say she would stop selling or even destroy such a list.

    Whether you take those words at face value or not, one thing they haven't even tried to deny is that they sell lists of people with other medical conditions, like diabetes. It is spelled out right there in the article.

    --
    When information is power, privacy is freedom.
  6. Re:Big Data should be banned by Stormy+Dragon · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So you want to ban the study of entire fields like sociology and economics, as well as things like the testing of new pharmaceuticals?