Re: Cookies 'R' Us...

["Laura J. Walker" <LJW6626@worldnet.att.net>]

> >From the "Anything-for-a-buck" department...
>
> YOUR DATA ON THE BLACK MARKET (POL. Tuesday)
>
> http://www.wired.com/news/news/email/explode-infobeat/politics/story/1729
> 7.html
>
> A former FTC commissioner says a network of crackers are illegally
> selling personal data to businesses. By Jennifer Sullivan.

Obviously, they're taking lessons from corporate capitalism.  Corporations do
this all the time -- as many people have discovered when they apply for
credit, try to get health insurance, jobs, or anything else that requires
accessing personal information.  The difference in corporations' insidious
use of this practice is that they have high-priced lawyers and lobbyists who
a) write the legislation; b) find the loopholes in the legislation; and c)
buy their way out when they get caught.  I'm always skeptical of anybody who
says to me: "Just answer these questions, they'll be kept confidential;"
"just supply us with a little information about your income/age/economic
status/health/education/etc., so we can keep you posted on
new/improved/updated/better products/services."  As PhineasTaylor Barnum once
noted, "There's a sucker born every minute."

Laura