On Mon, 11 Mar 1996 22:31:38 EST, "Geert K. Marien" wrote:
>New York  (amazingly)  and some  other  states are  considering
>letting (selling, actually) people have  access to their Drivers License
>database.
 
This isn't new.  It's not even particularly controversial.  New York has
been selling auto registration (name and address) lists for years (at $0.50
a name).  There already are numerous "list houses" that retail names,
address, and phone numbers based on a host of demographics (census tract,
household size, ages of household members, income, and so forth).  These
places by lists from magazines, credit card issuers, schools, state
agencies, and whatnot and then merge them.  By now, you are more than
likely already described in numerous data bases at a level of detail you
wouldn't believe.  Even if you aren't the security of the credit reporting
agencies is laughable; it takes hardly any effort (and only a few dollars)
to gain access to just about anyone's credit report.
 
About the only benefit from restricting access to email addresses is to
minimize the likelihood that you join the White House, Newt, and various
journalists the next time someone decides to test a program to subscribe a
bunch of folks to 1,800 lists (see the story in this week's Time).
 
/s Murphy A. Sewall <[log in to unmask]> (860) 486-2489 voice
   Professor of Marketing                          (860) 456-7725 fax
   http://mktg.sba.uconn.edu/MKT/Faculty/Sewall.html