Privacy and the Internet
If you think you have any privacy on the Internet, Dream On!
The other day I wanted to respond to an ad that someone locally had placed. It was an obscure ad with only a phone number listed for the business. It gave little or no detail about the business, so I used Google to see if I could find out more.
It’s amazing how the path of information kept growing far above and beyond what I originally intended to find out. Continue reading to see just where that path went.
First I did a Google on the phone number. That gave me results that listed not only the business name and location, but also the name of the primary owner.
I then did a Google on the owner’s name and found information concerning him, several state license records for his business and also an announcement for his engagement.
With this information I was able to respond much more personally to his wanted ad. I directed the email and my response to him directly.
He responded by asking me how I had found out such a wealth of information, “Did I know him?”
“No”, I replied, “I found out everything via Google.”
It spooked him. Sorry Charlie.
Now for the other side of this Privacy coin.
Most people who are active on the Internet have made it into Google and the other search engines.
I have been active since the beginning. So there are hundreds of results for me available on any one day in Google.
You will find forums I have participated in, you will find Genealogy information credited to me and you will find various business notations. What you will also find is several companies who claim to offer you information about me. Those companies offer composites of “Public Records”.
Are you aware that many states and counties put your voter records online?
The same goes for any Real Estate Records you may have.
One company that is very deliberate about this is called Intelius.
I issue them a cease and desist the other day.
Not only do they offer this information for sale, they offer it in a format that
follows a person from state to state.
I am absolutely 100% opposed to any company or government entity offering public records on the Internet. I have voiced this concern to my local officials and also various state officials. In this age of Identity theft, this practice gives anyone unfettered access to information they used to have to undergo scrutiny to receive. Names, Address, et..without pause.
Intelius irritated me off by releasing my address on one of their phone book sites. I pay ATT every year NOT to publish my address. Is it a state secret? Yes, as far as I am concerned. And NO company has any business broadcasting it without my permission.
The same goes for these companies who sell credit reports for Experian, Transunion and Equifax. My credit report is nobody’s business unless I authorize it to be so. It’s too easy to fake being someone else for those companies to go unfettered also.
Do you do online banking? I’d have to check again, but I’m pretty sure that there is no major bank that has not been hacked into and that puts all of our money at risk, whether we participate in online banking or not. I don’t. In fact, the other day my credit card company told me that in order to view their “points” catalog, I had to sign up for online banking. I told them to shove it.
Heard about Cloud Computing? That puts everything you do with your computer on the internet and under the scrutiny of “Carnivore.” Big Brother has arrived. Thank you “Patriot Act.”
Last but certainly not least. You do not want your medical records digitized and centralized. No good can come of this and it is already happening, in spite of claims that it isn’t in place yet.
Your doctor claims that he is ONLY using your Social Security number for Insurance claims. That’s a lie.
It’s also used to report your records to Federal Authorities and Databases. Read the fine print on that Authorization the next time you sign one.
Sleep Well.