ETHICS-IN-GENEALOGY-L Archives
Archiver > ETHICS-IN-GENEALOGY > 2000-09 > 0968415411
From:
Subject: Re: Fw: [Ethics] Re: Information about living persons.
Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2000 08:16:51 EDT
In a message dated 09/08/2000 4:29:04 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
writes:
<< If we go down the path of
restriction,we may find the way blocked completely in our lifetimes to
information relevant to genealogy. >>
Genealogy is very important to me, too. However, I believe that an
individual's privacy is much more important. I'm bothered when I find my
birth information and that of my siblings on WorldConnect ; I'm bothered when
I go to birthday.com and find my name and date of birth there. I'm bothered
when an adoptee posts detailed information to the message boards, in search
of a birth mother or father. I am bothered when my bank, insurance company,
etc., sells information about me.
I'm bothered when I receive solicitations in the mail for mortgages and they
tell me what my current balance is on my home - I only know it once a year
when I file my taxes. I could go on and on and on . . .
It's not a matter of who might hurt me or mine with information obtained from
the Internet and for-sale databases. It's just that it's MY information.
It's MY life. I tend to be too open - I tell more than I should; my weight,
my age, whatever. But I make the decision to do so.
Identify theft is not the issue with me, but if using that argument is the
only way we can protect our privacy then let's use it. I'll tell you what's
going to happen, though. The information will remain available and there
will be campaigns for 'stiffer penalties for identify theft.'
Folks don't seem to value their privacy anymore. We give it up willingly in
order to obtain something material or for convenience.
I might very well be the most frequent user of the CADI, CABI and the Texas
databases (my new sister-in-law didn't have to tell me she'd been married
previously - I already knew it!), but I would gladly go back to the old
method of hunting, searching, begging for information - or never knowing - if
it meant we could all feel that our lives were our own.
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