LAT: Data Collectors Face Lawmakers (they sell Soc. Sec. numbers???)

[DeepModem Mom]

Data Collectors Face Lawmakers
Executives defend their practices amid calls to curb the sale of Social Security numbers.

By Jonathan Peterson, Times Staff Writer


WASHINGTON — Amid rising anger over thefts of personal data, lawmakers Tuesday urged limits on the sale of Social Security numbers and other confidential information.

"I personally see no socially redeeming value in anyone having the right to market or use Social Security numbers and other personal information without my approval," said Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, in a written statement. "If a company wants to use my life for their profit, they ought to have to ask me first."

Congress has considered banning the sale of Social Security numbers before, but legislators are now rallying around the idea in the wake of a series of security breaches that gave identity thieves access to restricted information kept by data brokers ChoicePoint Inc. and LexisNexis, a unit of Reed Elsevier.

At a meeting of his panel's subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection on Tuesday, Barton said there was a "very good chance" he would support a bill making it illegal to sell Social Security numbers, except to help law enforcement.

ChoicePoint Chief Executive Derek Smith, making his first appearance before lawmakers since the scandal erupted last month, agreed at the hearing that some regulation may be needed. Smith said he would support, for example, "a single, reasonable, nationwide mandatory notification requirement" under which companies such as his would tell people when information on them had been released improperly....


http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-choice16mar16,0,6016639.story?coll=la-home-business

[Occulus]

1. I think we should be able to claim royalties on our personal info

It's absolutely insane that when we are the ones who generate the information, we are NOT the ones who profit from it.

We're NOT talking about public information here. We're talking about very PRIVATE information that can be used to financially ruin each and every one of us forever.

We should be paid for that risk.

[whistle]

2. The data companies sell anything and everything they can get

....paid for. Nothing is private.

[leetrisck]

3. Choice Point took all applications for employment

when TSA was formed and they had to be done on the computer - they have hundreds of thousands of people's complete histories and I do mean complete and they got it all for nothing. What a bunch of crooks along with the administration.

[Sadie5]

4. Derek Smith said:

He would support some kind of notification that your SS# was being sold. They should not be allowed to sell your info under any conditions...period!!!

[DeepModem Mom]

5. I agree, Demo5 -- I had no idea SS numbers were for sale; is this known...

to many/most people, I wonder?

[cosmicdot]

6. it's not just the Acxioms/ChoicePoints ... take GE for example ...

I'm going to send that Rep. Barton something regarding this.

In order to have dental work done, I applied for CareCredit at the dental office, which is a credit program of GE Money Bank ... the first statement arrived with an 'Important Notice' enclosed. The Notice says that one can Opt Out (this is "choice" to them), but the consumer has to make the effort to contact GE; otherwise, one stays Opted In, and, GE is free to do as they please.

Information we collect

"We collect personally identifiable information about you (such as your address, phone number, social security number, mother's maiden name and transaction information about items purchased, payments and payment method), for identification, account management, servicing and marketing purposes. We obtain information directly from you (such as on application forms), through your use of our products and services, and in some cases, from third parties (such as credit bureaus and demographic firms. Occasionally, we may also collect information about you online using 'cookies' (small pieces of data stored by your internet browser on your computer) or other technology that may be used to remember passwords for you, to track your website usage with us, and to provide you with customized content, among other things.


"You have the right to opt out of our sharing of information with certain third parties ..."


GE's Opt Out clause reads:

"Please do not share information about me with companies outside the GE Family, other than with Provider and its affiliates for use in connection with the CareCredit Card program and as otherwise permitted by law." Please do not share with companies within the GE Family information you use to determine my eligibility for credit. And please do not allow companies within the GE Family to solicit me for products and services based on transaction, experience or credit eligibility information they receive from you."

(who are the affiliates? what is permitted by law...and why? when does the Opt Out commence? what about information shared before obtaining an Opt Out from the consumer citizen?)


The Opt Out doesn't end the spreading of one's private information:

The Opt Out clause is clarified as follows:

"Please understand that, even if you opt out as described above, we will continue to share information with the Merchant associated with your Account, joint marketing partners and service providers, as described in this policy, and as otherwise permitted by law. And we will continue to share information that identifies you, and about your transactions and experiences with us, with companies within the GE Family."

(the ending, re GE Family, sounds like its contradicting the Opt Out feature)

Who knows with whom GE has Joint Marketing Partnerships? They are third parties.


Other than the administration of payment and billing ... I don't want any of my private data sold, shared, leased or however else it can be packaged .... period. Is chattel property an applicable term here?

One does one business transaction, and Corporate America thinks that the consumer has assigned his/her birthrights over.

[Colorado Blue]

7. I had NO IDEA our social security numbers were up for

sale. That's - amazing. That's not like a mailing list of magazine subscriptions or whatever. Unbelievable.

[DeepModem Mom]

8. I thought that was the one bit of info we were supposed to protect...

as best we could. And these companies are selling our SS number? Again, I'm interested to see I'm not the only one who is surprised.

[Colorado Blue]

9. So much for the paper shredder in the bedroom. Hah!