Ironically, I found this article on Reuters:INDIA
Data brokers, their customers spark Congress' ire
Mon Jun 26, 2006 2:53 AM IST
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Almost every piece of personal information that Americans try to keep secret -- including bank account statements, e-mail messages and telephone records -- is semi-public and available for sale.
We had the impression that there were no secrets any more. Now we know that for sure," said Rep. Ed Whitfield, a Kentucky Republican and chairman of the panel's oversight subcommittee.
He described a multimillion dollar industry that sells cell phone records for $200, Social Security information for $60 and a student's university class schedule for $80
The committee subpoenaed representatives from 11 companies that use the Internet and phone calls to obtain, market, and sell personal data, but they refused to talk.
All invoked their constitutional right to not incriminate themselves when asked whether they sold "personal, non-public information" that had been obtained by lying or impersonating someone.
"What delicious irony," said Rep. Joe Barton, chairman of the full committee and a Texas Republican. "People who cheat and lie for the purpose of making money are now complaining that they cannot cheat and lie in private."
Read the whole article at Reuters:India
to post a reply:
login - or -
register