Quiz: How much money does it take for corperations to screw over consumors privacy?

[AlexMax]

Around $20 million. And they did too.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/09/07/MN52669.DTL

So sad.... :(

[slothman]

I am just waiting for someone to sue a corp for something like that. BTW I found an interesting site about CA's gov: http://www.e-gray.com

[Cyclone]

So MBNA is trying to prevent this bill from passing just so they can continue to send me this "You need this card!" shit in the mail?

I swear to God...if I get one more mailing for them, I am seeking them in the online yellow pages...then they are getting a hell of an earful about it.

Cyclone

[Daarkseid]

Originally posted by AlexMax
Around $20 million. And they did too.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/09/07/MN52669.DTL

So sad.... :(

Yes. We can no longer rely on our complacency to prevent such action against us.

I don't things will ever get any better until people are spurred to fight back, either through boycotts, protests, and perhaps massive civil disobedience. This would then either get businesses to capitulate to consumer demand for more privacy or the government to rethink the issue and pass that law again.

But its not gonna happen. We can blame only ourselves, in my opinion. We can stop them, but we ultimately choose not to.

[AlexMax]

It's the unwillingness of the population in general to do something about it. We can't blame ourselves as individuals. There are several factors that prevent the individuals from something like civil disobedience, since it's not popular it will be against the public's opinion (the misinformed and ignorant general public keep in mind).

[Jemsee]

This has not been a gov. by the people for the people for quite a long time.
There is supposed to be a house of representatives that represents each district to give all people a voice. Yet I do not nor never have felt represented.
This is just another example where big business gets what they want. Regular citizens can't generate that kind of cash and fight city hall easily.
Also this is the information age. Its all for sale.
If they are willing to spend that much they must be making even more in the trade of personal information.
They are watching you, your every move.
Then you’re profiled and stuck in a group.
The group is watched and trends immerge.
With that information ads are made and different parts of the country are targeted for different products.
It works too, otherwise why fight so hard to keep the right to buy and sell personal information.

[Axel]

well, this is the US, we have a republic, and in a republic you can count on the senators and "representatives" to be bought the problem is not enough people really care what goes on in the nation. most Americans are just "flag-wavers" they immediatly obey whatever trend exists, they all believe America is apable of no wrong, and they vote for a single party without thinking about anything. the result is ignorant masses who never do anything, corrupt politicians, and big bussiness the only one's who can bring about change.

as for them watching us, I dont see what that'll get 'em from me, I dont fit any trend. I get only what's cheap, and do only what I like.

[Daarkseid]

The problem stems from hyper pluralism. The fact is, alot more people are represented than you think. Alot of people belong to interest groups, be it some charitable foundation, business, environmental group etc. These interest groups in turn have lobbyists who bring what they want out of their representatives to the representatives themselves. And since alot of us do belong to certain interest groups, we are represented alot more than we think. And simply voting is no longer sufficient to be represented anymore. Voting doesn't tell an elected official how and what to support in government.

The problem I see here, is that the general public itself is too varied and too diverse to ever adequately have its own lobbying group to take its needs to representatives.

Now if the average american could somehow be spurred to support its own grand interest group, to fund lobbyists capable of delivering their list of things they want to the government, the people could then be more adequately represented.

But once again, this is easier said that done. If you are concerned about what your government is doing, you should at the very least do more than simply voting. Writing letters to your representatives, supporting the representative you want to be elected by joining their campaign in whatever capacity you could to help them get elected. Thats about as good as individual action can get.

[EWild]

Well, is this law only concerning the USA or Canada also?