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Database Nation: The Death of Privacy in the 21st Century
Simson Garfinkel
O´Reilly & Associates
Mike Hudack
Editor-in-Chief
One of O´Reilly´s online publicity managers graciously offered me a draft copy of Database Nation, a book due out in January of 2000. The concept immediately interested me -- the role of computers, technology, modern society in privacy -- right up my (and probably your) ally. Furthermore, it was written by the renowned Simson Garfinkel, author of such classics as the UNIX Hater´s Handbook and Practical UNIX & Internet Security. Database Nation didn´t dissapoint.
There´s a letter from the neighborhood hospital you visited last month. "We´re pleased that our emergency room could serve you in your time of need," the letter begins. "As you know, our fees (based on our agreement with your HMO) do not cover the cost of treatment. To make up the difference, a number of hospitals have started selling patient records to medical researchers and consumer marketing firms. Rather than mimic this distasteful behavior, we have decided to ask you to help us make up the cost difference. We are recommending that you make a tax-deductible contribution of $275 to help defray the cost of your visit.
Database Nation is full of such examples of how your privacy could be invaded in the relatively near future. The first chapter details just how bad Big Brother has been in the past -- but then it gets to the point: Big Brother isn´t the problem, private enterprise is.
Whether it be Garfinkel´s Mileage Plus First Card or exterior video cameras, his privacy is always being invaded. Free magazine subscriptions ask for every detail about people. Associated Credit Bureau makes mistakes on a large percentage of their reports. The IRS tracks mistakenly puts a lein on a family´s house, creating a permenant black mark on their corporate lives.
We routinely ask for companies to track us, Garfinkel points out. By using a Metrocard or a credit card we receive incentives such as discounted "tokens" or frequent flyer miles. Supermarket "savings clubs" issue coupons based on our buying habits. ATMs record not only how much money you withdraw but where you withdrew it. CallerID tracks your phone calls. The Web server measures your exact habits.
Garfinkel set out not only to paint a dismal picture, but to show us what we could do about it. He truly "wanted to make a difference" with this book. And this instant classic does just that by showing how you can make a difference.
Opt-out lists are by now common knowledge, but current privacy legislation, terrorist threats to privacy and the like aren´t. Like I say, this is an instant classic. |
