[108070] in Cypherpunks
Re: Census data sold to advertisers
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Adam Shostack)
Wed Feb 3 11:08:19 1999
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 1999 11:02:10 -0500
From: Adam Shostack <adam@homeport.org>
To: ellen beldner <kira@reject.org>
Cc: cypherpunks@cyberpass.net
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.4.05.9902030104250.29638-100000@reject.org>; from ellen beldner on Wed, Feb 03, 1999 at 01:10:10AM -0600
Reply-To: Adam Shostack <adam@homeport.org>
On Wed, Feb 03, 1999 at 01:10:10AM -0600, ellen beldner wrote:
| On Tue, 2 Feb 1999, Tim May wrote:
|
| > At 4:05 AM -0800 2/2/99, Anonymous wrote:
| > >This From: Sptimes.com (St. Petersburg Times, Fla.) January 23, 1999
| > >http://www.sptimes.com/
| > >
| > >Florida Has Sold License Photos
| > >http://www.sptimes.com/News/12399/State/Florida_has_sold_lice.html
| > >
| > >That's right. The state got a penny from a company in New Hampshire for
| > >your
| > >driver's license picture.
|
| ...This is a very interesting situation, particularly in light of the fact
| that FL has an explicitly stated right-to-privacy clause in its state
| constitution. Any news on whether any privacy groups have sued yet?
|
| I wonder if there is a clause that allows FL license holders to say, "no,
| I do not want my photo sold"? Certainly, though, the default should be
| that photos are only sold with the express permission of the person in the
| photo.
|
| I wonder if the government's actions could be considered illegal under
| copyright/trademark law: if memory serves, if someone is able to make
| money off your image then you legally retain control and can sue anyone
| who subverts that right.
|
Its clear that the real reason behind this is to enable marketers to
market to ethnic groups. Citibank has long tracked ethnicity of its
customers via the 'security' photo on cards. This is just a new
variant of that.
The only way to kill this is through outrage and opposition. Claiming
some right or other in the face of the government is worthless.
Losing the FL govenor the support of every non-wasp group in Florida
is far more effective.
Adam
--
"It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once."
-Hume
