I recommend reviewing creditors' privacy notices and policies to see what information they collect, and who they share it with; and, review their limited opt-in, opt-out 'choices'. Privacy notices include the words,
"required or permitted by law". Reviewing those laws might be a good start.
In ending this consumer-citizen concern, try drafting laws with such words as "never", and "under no circumstances", "subject to penalties outlined herein", and, "such penalties shall not be limited to the corporation, but shall include all agents, representatives, affiliates, partners, officers, etc., of the corporation" in re sharing information.
With all the mergers and acquisitions, a corporate 'family' changes all the time. 'Affiliates' change as well. New corporate parent, new privacy notices. Repeat and rinse opt-in, opt-out choices.
These "required or permitted by law" statutes have helped to spread our private information all over the map. Who passed these laws? Who wrote them?
What to do about the Axcioms and ChoicePoints (not to mention the Carlyle Group's USIS.com) in re our private data? What to do about those check-out cards which record transaction data at Point of Sale places like grocers and pharmacies?? It's hard work for us American Citizens to maintain privacy in Corporate America. What to do about employers obtaining credit reports (every authority with authority to access our private data further spreads our data around)?
Seems every Tom, Dick and Harriet can obtain and know our private data. Why not allow us consumer-citizen to obtain the private data of the individual person(s) requesting as an agent of a Corporation? That might make us equal players in this game. Give me yours and we'll give you ours.
Of course, making the laws consumer-citizen-privacy-friendly would require taking on the nonperson-corporations and their lobbyists. You're either with us or against us. Choose your partner.
Is it a wonder why our private data is scattered all over the map?
"We may share information about you with companies outside of our family as permitted by law, including retailers, auto dealers, auto makers, direct marketers, membership clubs and publishers." "We offer you the following
two choices about sharing information that identifies you."
Wow, 2 choices. Corporations
telling us consumer-citizens what our privacy options are. These choices are often posed as "Opt-in", Opt-out".
sample privacy language:
"Limit the personal information about me that you disclose to nonaffiliated third parties."and,
"Limit the personal information about me that you share with ____ affiliates."Limit"?
That limits choices. What's not included in the term "limit"? What is??
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 ...""Certain third parties"? Who is a certain 3rd party? Who isn't?
Opt Out clause:
"Please do not share information about me with companies outside the __ Family, other than with Provider and its affiliates for use in connection with the _____ Card program and as otherwise permitted by law. Please do not share with companies within the __ Family information you use to determine my eligibility for credit. And please do not allow companies within the __ Family to solicit me for products and services based on transaction, experience or credit eligibility information they receive from you."Some of that is good ... but, here comes the clarification ...
"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 __ Family."So, is one opted-out or not?
Consider what the term "Family" entails by looking at companies such as General Electric. Its
'Affiliates', 'Marketing Partners', etc., cover a lot of territory.
... these notices should read 'as vaguely described in this policy' ... heck, one needs a lawyer just to get through the daily routine these days.
The Opt Out doesn't end the spreading of one's private information. Joint marketing partners are 3rd parties.
"Even if you do tell us not to share, we may do so as required or permitted by law".
"Even if you do tell us not to share, we may share other types of information within our family." One does a business transaction, and Corporate America thinks that the consumer has assigned his/her birthrights over, and waived all rights. All your data belongs to us.
Sign an online petition or buy something online, and one increases knocks at one's email address door. Imagine if the grocer across, the pharmacy, the sub or pizza shop, the office product store, etc., knocked on our house door whenever it had a special or wanted to advertise some product. Set one's preferences at a site, and sometimes it is changed or even ignored. Sign a petition, and before long comes a 'you've signed one of our petitions in the past'. And, mailing lists, ugh. These are related privacy pet peeves.
:rant: Not affiliated with any special interest group ... just an armchair citizen wanting people to be first for a change; and, some long overdue progress.
oh, and, about the extreme advertising in our lives ... not to mention excessive commercials on TV (mostly the same ads all the time) ... and, the crappy programming in a medium which offers so much ......... and, and, and .........
fwiw - as an example of why we need to curb corporate involvment with our politicians and in our government
of, by and for the people ... with concern of how much privacy protection we can expect under these conditions ... just how much would a $10 contribution persuade a politician compared to the competing millions of corporate money? Is this what the Founders had in mind?
Sen. Clinton's top contributors 2006 (at least $39 Million on hand)
PAC Contribution
Business
62.6%)
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?CID=N00000019&cycle=2006Clinton's Top Contributors 2004
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?CID=N00000019&cycle=2004Top Contributors 2002
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?CID=N00000019&cycle=2002HilPac 2006
http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.asp?strID=C00363994&Cycle=2006Corporations are not persons, and do not have equal rights with We the People.
http://www.bodhitree.com/lectures/hartmann2.html
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