Data Broker Medbase200 Sold Lists of Rape & Domestic Violence Victims

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."

Comments

Re:Time to sell List of CEOs home addresses

[Tom]

You probably only need DNA, or be alive, or have a carbon atom inside your body to be in the solar or galactic elite.

Local comparisons are usually more meaningful than global ones. Yes, it helps to remind ourselves that we're not living in a slum with no electricity and water, but "someone else is worse" is a really horrible argument against social inequality.