At 12:38 PM 5/28/96 -0700, Bruce Baugh wrote:
A separate problem arises when the government compels the disclosure of information for one purpose - getting a driver's license, say - and then turns around and sells it to others. It's much harder to either negotiate a new contract or go to a competitor when the other party is a government.
This is a problem in Oregon. The database of drivers licences and registered automobiles is sold openly by the state. (You can also order a copy on CD-ROM from a company based in Oregon as well...) As far as I know, there is no way to opt out of having your name sold to marketing firms. These records are routinely purchaced by mail order houses for resale to clients all over the country. The cost is pretty minimal (under $200) and you have to provide the media (usually two 9-track tapes). The database includes current address, vehicle licence number and the type of car that you own (among other things). The only way to not be on the list is to not have ID. Not viable in todays society. --- |Coors - For people who don't want to think about what they are drinking.| |"The moral PGP Diffie taught Zimmermann unites all| Disclaimer: | | mankind free in one-key-steganography-privacy!" | Ignore the man | |`finger -l alano@teleport.com` for PGP 2.6.2 key | behind the keyboard.| | http://www.teleport.com/~alano/ | alano@teleport.com |