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California to sell wage data to companies

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the why-i-want-to-be-a-libertarian dept.

jpatters writes "CNN is reporting that the state of California will be selling confidential wage data to private companies. They hope to raise $15 million over the next decade. Read the full story "Yeargh-I love governments blurring the line between my life and companies.

4 of 112 comments (clear)

  1. The money should go to the individuals involved by Bruce+Perens · · Score: 3
    Your salary data is your property, not the states. The fees for that data should go to you, not the state.

    The best way to control this sort of thing is to take away the money. How about a class-action suit against companies that sell your data to recover profits that should be rightfully yours.

    Bruce

    --
    Bruce Perens.
  2. Why can't governments do something good for once? by meersan · · Score: 3

    Why can't a government be useful for something for a change? If I wanted my personal data sold to the highest bidder, I'd sell it myself. I don't personally mind the lack of privacy so much as the fact that someone else is getting rich on my data -- without my permission. Instead of outlawing vaguely-defined net obscenities and swear words, how about actually protecting citizens? (And I hate spam as much as the next person. I feel it should be covered under the telecom act which banned fax spam. Especially email that attempts to sell items or pornography -- how would you feel if your kid got email like that? At least if it's on the web they have to actively seek it out. Spam is target-blind and you should have to opt-in to receive it.)

    I'd like to see some legislation outlawing the sale or share of personal data by corporations without consent or compensation.

    This is exploitation, pure and simple. You can't even opt out of giving your information to a state or federal government.

    --
    We want endless gardens of data, where the bits can flower, flourish and reproduce. -- Andy Mueller-Maguhn
  3. Government is not a for-profit organization. by Poe · · Score: 3

    The arguments that one should be paid for the information are basically invalid. The state of California has to use these revenues for it's own programs, meaning that the citizens of California will theoretically get more value from their state government.

    On the other hand, this information wasn't volunteered, so it should be freely available to all or protected from the prying eyes of all. Anything else would be economic favoritism.

    --
    Thank you for not thinking.
  4. How to contact your CA assemblyperson by tedd · · Score: 3

    http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/acsf rameset9.htm

    talk to 'em, my fellow californians...
    --
    .:.
    : tedd