From: baumbach@atmel.com (Peter Baumbach)
Date: Tue, 25 May 93 12:29:52 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: License plates
Message-ID: <9305251859.AA06461@carp.chp.atmel.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


> My understanding is that in many states, the Department of Motor Vehicles Records
> indexed on license plate number, and containing the name, address, and other
> information about the owner, is public or semi-public.  How would an interested
> party go about finding this information?  How difficult or costly is it?  And
> what all is actually listed in the record?

Mathew Lesko has several books out that are all about finding this type of
information.  I have a couple of these books, they are available at most book
stores.  "Information USA" is about federal sources of information, and a
newer book, that I don't remember the name of, is about state sources of
information.  I remember seeing a listing, by state, of motor vehicle license
and registration data for sale.  For Maryland, a magnetic tape of complete
license or registration data is available for $300!

> How about medical records?  How private are they?
> 
> How about other records which are, to me, private or appear to be private, but
> can actually be read by anyone without my consent?
> 

I don't know what else.  Credit information "requires" your permission to be 
read by someone.

> Kragen
> 

The work of cypherpunks will make this information less private.  Laws will not
make it more private.  Crypto cash will buy this information anonomously.

The work of cypherpunks will also make this information more private.  You all
know more about this than I do; how do you cypherpunks suggest we keep this
information private?

Peter Baumbach
baumbach@atmel.com