(Fwd) FWD: Texas Driver's License database on the web

[miner]

>>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>>From: Brent Heustess <heustess at mail.utexas.edu>
>>
>>   This is a really spooky web site <http://www.publiclink.com>.  You
can
>>search 17 million Texas drivers by name, driver's license number or
>>license plate number.  When you find a person, you can then find
everyone
>>at that address with a license.  You can even find everyone with the
same
>>9-digit zip code.  The record does not have a GIF of the photo, but it
>>has everything else on the license.
>
>Those who tell the government the actual address where they sleep at
night
>have no expectation of privacy.  Most governments don't care if you
>substitute an accomodation address.  If you find a government that does
>care, shop around until you find another that doesn't.  I've been turned
>down exactly once in my career when I attempted to use an accomodation
>address for DMV purposes.  I went elsewhere.
>
>DCF
>

There was an article in the WSJ about this recently, TX has passed a law
that goes into effect Sept. 1ST that will make publiclink illegal, they
said they would continue to run the site and see what happens in court.
Don't remember the date of the article.