Re: Collection of personal info

[Black Unicorn <unicorn@polaris.mindport.net>]

On Wed, 6 Sep 1995, Rob Lowry wrote:

> > Rob, I have entered this posting of yours into the "BlackNet Dossier
> > Service" I operate.
> 
> At least you notified me.. :) Something the TRW crew or others like them 
> do not do.
> 
> 
> > If someone doesn't want their postings going into my 220 megabyte file of
> > postings, they shouldn't send them to me. Or they should adopt a digital
> > pseudonym, unlinkable to their True Name or any other nyms they may have.
> 
> This is true.. I could adopt a nym, such as I use on my BBS, or when I am 
> doing other stuff on the net.. but it is difficult at best to get a new 
> set of credit cards, ID and so on with a new name/alias and still 
> maintain your own name.

In fact it's not difficult.  It's quite simple to estlablish new identity 
for the individual willing to risk the charges and consequences of 
exposure.  The basic impediment is time.  Good credit doesn't come 
overnight.  The second impediment is tax evasion- which is less than 
justifiable in the United States on the grounds of privacy.  If you're 
willing to be patient, and pay taxes on more than one name, its easy to 
maintain several identities.


> If it were possible to have an alias in real 
> life, as easy as it is to get one on the 'net that is, then I would most 
> certainly do so..

Which tells me how serious you really are about your privacy.  You have 
made a decision here about how much trouble privacy is worth to you, 
which is "not much."

I hear people bitch about privacy endlessly.  Privacy helps those who 
help themselves to privacy.  I think Mr. May was precisely correct in saying 
that it is so much easier and simpler for one to rely on self privacy 
insurance rather than government privacy insurance.

> 'Frothmonger' <g>