The Lerher News Hour did a segment on the ChoicePoint fiasco tonight.
Yesterday, in conversation with Consumer Protection Dept., state AG's office in Pittsburgh, I was told that as of then, 1800 Pennsylvanians were involved, which is to say that their identity's were possibly at risk, as a result of ChoicePoint's "security breach". The number could be higher, and that's just in Pennsylvania. ChoicePoint is real busy, I guess, mailing letters to something like 150,000, or more people, all over the country. I'm just afire with curiosity re the content of those letters.
Funny thing, more likely a sad thing is that ChoicePoint's "data security" or whatever they call it, could likely have been significantly improved with little damage to their corporate "bottom line". I suppose that the "bean counters" might have 86'd that idea though. Wonder as to how much it will cost Choice Point, and possibly Equifax, from whom they are an "spin-off", now.
The damage done here has obviously already been done. Maybe, just maybe those Senate and Congress Critters of ours, if hit with a CONTINUING deluge of faxes, phone calls, e-mails and perhaps smoke signals might "do the right thing, the needed thing", and enact some toothy regulations applying to this entire information brokerage/data peddling business, maybe.
I suppose that it would be to much to expect, but how about some legislation that allows THE INDIVIDUAL, to control who it is that gets to look through their personal data. If that hurt the "information mongers", possibly they could undertake useful and honest labor, digging ditches or raking up trash comes to mind.
In conclusion, talking of "spin-offs", I realize that I'm just a dirty minded old man, however according to comment on the Lerher News Hour, credit bureaus, Equifax is one of the three national outfits, are closely regulated, while outfits such as ChoicePoint aren't. Anyone care to guess as to what might have driven this particular "spin-off", after all, aren't those consumer protection regulations terribly bothersome to devotees of "the bottom line"?
Senator Charles Schumer was depicted, microphone in hand, speaking of seeking the regulation of ChoicePoint type forms. Think he will push regulating them anywhere near as hard as he pushes the "regulation" of arms? Nah, not a chance.
Yesterday, in conversation with Consumer Protection Dept., state AG's office in Pittsburgh, I was told that as of then, 1800 Pennsylvanians were involved, which is to say that their identity's were possibly at risk, as a result of ChoicePoint's "security breach". The number could be higher, and that's just in Pennsylvania. ChoicePoint is real busy, I guess, mailing letters to something like 150,000, or more people, all over the country. I'm just afire with curiosity re the content of those letters.
Funny thing, more likely a sad thing is that ChoicePoint's "data security" or whatever they call it, could likely have been significantly improved with little damage to their corporate "bottom line". I suppose that the "bean counters" might have 86'd that idea though. Wonder as to how much it will cost Choice Point, and possibly Equifax, from whom they are an "spin-off", now.
The damage done here has obviously already been done. Maybe, just maybe those Senate and Congress Critters of ours, if hit with a CONTINUING deluge of faxes, phone calls, e-mails and perhaps smoke signals might "do the right thing, the needed thing", and enact some toothy regulations applying to this entire information brokerage/data peddling business, maybe.
I suppose that it would be to much to expect, but how about some legislation that allows THE INDIVIDUAL, to control who it is that gets to look through their personal data. If that hurt the "information mongers", possibly they could undertake useful and honest labor, digging ditches or raking up trash comes to mind.
In conclusion, talking of "spin-offs", I realize that I'm just a dirty minded old man, however according to comment on the Lerher News Hour, credit bureaus, Equifax is one of the three national outfits, are closely regulated, while outfits such as ChoicePoint aren't. Anyone care to guess as to what might have driven this particular "spin-off", after all, aren't those consumer protection regulations terribly bothersome to devotees of "the bottom line"?
Senator Charles Schumer was depicted, microphone in hand, speaking of seeking the regulation of ChoicePoint type forms. Think he will push regulating them anywhere near as hard as he pushes the "regulation" of arms? Nah, not a chance.