FC: Yet Another Survey: Americans have become privacy pragmatists

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

[I believe Americans care a lot about privacy invasions _when they don't 
have a choice_ -- such as cops sniffing your house for illegal drugs with 
airborne drones or Thermovision 210s. But when Americans _get to choose_ 
whether to give up their privacy in exchange for something of value, they 
often do. Just look at Safeway discount cards (and, in DC, Fresh Fields 
discount cards). Obviously not all choices -- health insurance comes to 
mind -- are as clear. But I don't think Americans will pay a lot extra to 
protect their privacy. How many Internet consumer-privacy firms have 
succeeded? --Declan]

*******

From: Sonia Arrison <sarrison () pacificresearch org>
To: "'declan () well com'" <declan () well com>
Subject: another privacy survey
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2000 16:41:15 -0800

"Ranks of Privacy 'Pragmatists' Are Growing"

Most Americans support the dissemination of data contained in public 
records, but they also say that there must be a legitimate legal or social 
reason for the extraction of this data, according to a recent survey 
conducted by Privacy and American Business and ORC International. As long 
as the information is not abused, most Americans support the use of 
personal data on the Internet for commercial purposes. This support 
includes the use of home or work addresses by law enforcement, potential 
employers, or consumer credit companies. Those surveyed believe it is less 
acceptable to allow private investigators or ordinary citizens to access 
the information. The 1,000 people surveyed in the report also say that they 
object to the government posting personally identifiable public information 
on the Internet unless there are safeguards. These safeguards include the 
government requiring the consent of the individual before personal 
information is displayed on public record, and requesting a specific 
purpose for such information to be displayed on the Internet. Privacy and 
American Business President Alan Westin says that more Americans now fall 
into the category of "privacy pragmatist" rather than "privacy 
fundamentalist." Ron Plesser of Piper Marbury Rudnick & Wolf says that the 
Internet industry must determine how to properly use Social Security 
numbers. "Regulating the purchase and sale of Social Security numbers over 
the Internet won't come overnight," Plesser says.

http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2000-2/1211m.html#item6




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