I just forwarded my last post to some other list favouring - sort of - proposed privacy legislation in California. As it may not have appeared here, and is very short, and I don't have the URL, and I believe my response was relevant to cpunks, I've reproduced the bill. -Rishab SB 1659 Personal rights: privacy. BILL NUMBER: SB 1659 INTRODUCED 02/21/96 BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Peace FEBRUARY 21, 1996 An act to add Section 43.2 to the Civil Code, relating to privacy. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1659, as introduced, Peace. Personal rights: privacy. Existing law, the California Constitution, provides that all people have certain inalienable rights, including the right to privacy. This bill would prohibit a person or corporation from using or distributing for profit information concerning an individual, including his or her credit history, finances, or medical history, without his or her written consent. The bill would include a statement of legislative findings concerning the right to privacy. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. SECTION 1. The Legislature hereby finds and declares the following: (a) All people have an inalienable right to privacy as declared in Section 1 of Article I of the California Constitution. (b) Advances in technology have made it easier to create, acquire, and analyze detailed personal information about an individual. (c) Personal information, including information about a person's financial history, shopping habits, medical history, and travel patterns, is continuously being created. (d) The unauthorized use of personal information concerning an individual is an infringement upon that individual's right to privacy. SEC. 2. Section 43.2 is added to the Civil Code, to read: 43.2. No person or corporation may use or distribute for profit any personal information concerning a person without that person's written consent. Such information includes, but is not limited to, an individual's credit history, finances, medical history, purchases, and travel patterns. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Indian Techonomist - newsletter on India's information industry http://dxm.org/techonomist/ rishab@dxm.org Editor and publisher: Rishab Aiyer Ghosh rishab@arbornet.org Vox +91 11 6853410; 3760335; H 34 C Saket, New Delhi 110017, INDIA