I really don't see a difference between purchasing a $150 rod and reel to enhance you fishing experience, a $1500 TV to enjoy the game in digital quality, and purchasing a better sword for your online character. Why do so many people see video game playing as a vice and "useful" hobbies like golf or knitting as a life building experience? Just because I don't collect comic books, doesn't mean I have the right to pass it off as a childish, time consuming, expensive waster of time... The exact description I've heard when discussing almost any passtime related to computers.
I Just received this today from our corporate attorney. I've removed the letterhead and personal information.
ANNUAL DISCLOSURE NOTICE TO CONSUMERS With Whom This Firm Has Any, On-Going Relationship After July 1. 2001
This document is an annual notice that may be required pursuant to the federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, Pub. Law No. 106-102, and any rules issued by the Federal Trade Commission regarding privacy of consumer financial information, 16 C.F.R. 313, irrespective of how unbelievably expansive (and possibly impermissibly expansive) those FTC rules may be. As a law firm, this firm collects non-public information about you from you, from others as permitted by law, with your authorization, from third parties such as court clerks, banks and government agencies, and from others. This firm does not disclose any non-public personal information about clients or former clients or others except as permitted by law, as required by law, or as otherwise authorized. If authorized, required or permitted by law, this firm may disclose non-public personal information to unrelated third parties. Such unrelated third parties may include court clerks, court reporters, expert witnesses, process servers, and others. During the course of litigation, court rules may require public disclosure of otherwise private information (such as your address and social security number); and this is unavoidable. This firm restricts access to non-public personal information about you to those employees and agents of this law firm who need to know the information in order for this firm to provide appropriate legal services to clients. This firm maintains physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards that comply with federal regulations and applicable rules of ethics to guard your non- public personal information. This notice is written and mailed out of an excess of caution and not as an admission that such rules apply to this firm. If you have any questions, objections, or other statements about this notice, please write to (deleted)immediately.
This firm does not believe that the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (The Act) should apply to law firms. The Act is generally meant to apply to banks, insurance companies, brokerage houses, and other large financial institutions that do not have "attorney-client" relationships. Under The Act, consumers should be entitled to certain protections from their banks that were not previously required under federal law. So, the purpose of The Act is good and this firm generally supports such privacy protections.
However, law firms and lawyers have always been under a duty to protect client information and continue to be under such a duty. The lawyer's duty of confidentiality in this State provides much better protection than the putative protection in The Act. Those duties are set out in this State's ethical rules, in case law, and in certain other rules and statutes.
But the federal bureaucrats who write the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Rules to enforce the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act have done what they could to make their Rules and The Act extend as far as possible (to include any banks, pseudo banks, on-line banks, non-bank banks, insurance companies, financial institutions, and others). In doing this, the FTC's Rules may be read to include lawyers, so you are receiving this Notice just in case they do.
Even if the FTC's new rules don't apply, however, please be assured that your confidential information is protected. We regret any inconvenience. This firm will continue to protect your privacy under this State's law even if the federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act does not apply to this firm.
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I really don't see a difference between purchasing a $150 rod and reel to enhance you fishing experience, a $1500 TV to enjoy the game in digital quality, and purchasing a better sword for your online character. Why do so many people see video game playing as a vice and "useful" hobbies like golf or knitting as a life building experience? Just because I don't collect comic books, doesn't mean I have the right to pass it off as a childish, time consuming, expensive waster of time... The exact description I've heard when discussing almost any passtime related to computers.
I Just received this today from our corporate attorney. I've removed the letterhead and personal information. ANNUAL DISCLOSURE NOTICE TO CONSUMERS With Whom This Firm Has Any, On-Going Relationship After July 1. 2001 This document is an annual notice that may be required pursuant to the federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, Pub. Law No. 106-102, and any rules issued by the Federal Trade Commission regarding privacy of consumer financial information, 16 C.F.R. 313, irrespective of how unbelievably expansive (and possibly impermissibly expansive) those FTC rules may be. As a law firm, this firm collects non-public information about you from you, from others as permitted by law, with your authorization, from third parties such as court clerks, banks and government agencies, and from others. This firm does not disclose any non-public personal information about clients or former clients or others except as permitted by law, as required by law, or as otherwise authorized. If authorized, required or permitted by law, this firm may disclose non-public personal information to unrelated third parties. Such unrelated third parties may include court clerks, court reporters, expert witnesses, process servers, and others. During the course of litigation, court rules may require public disclosure of otherwise private information (such as your address and social security number); and this is unavoidable. This firm restricts access to non-public personal information about you to those employees and agents of this law firm who need to know the information in order for this firm to provide appropriate legal services to clients. This firm maintains physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards that comply with federal regulations and applicable rules of ethics to guard your non- public personal information. This notice is written and mailed out of an excess of caution and not as an admission that such rules apply to this firm. If you have any questions, objections, or other statements about this notice, please write to (deleted)immediately. This firm does not believe that the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (The Act) should apply to law firms. The Act is generally meant to apply to banks, insurance companies, brokerage houses, and other large financial institutions that do not have "attorney-client" relationships. Under The Act, consumers should be entitled to certain protections from their banks that were not previously required under federal law. So, the purpose of The Act is good and this firm generally supports such privacy protections. However, law firms and lawyers have always been under a duty to protect client information and continue to be under such a duty. The lawyer's duty of confidentiality in this State provides much better protection than the putative protection in The Act. Those duties are set out in this State's ethical rules, in case law, and in certain other rules and statutes. But the federal bureaucrats who write the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Rules to enforce the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act have done what they could to make their Rules and The Act extend as far as possible (to include any banks, pseudo banks, on-line banks, non-bank banks, insurance companies, financial institutions, and others). In doing this, the FTC's Rules may be read to include lawyers, so you are receiving this Notice just in case they do. Even if the FTC's new rules don't apply, however, please be assured that your confidential information is protected. We regret any inconvenience. This firm will continue to protect your privacy under this State's law even if the federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act does not apply to this firm.