From: Sandy Sandfort <sandfort@crl.com>
Date: Sat, 16 Apr 94 09:16:03 PDT
To: Julietta <albright@chaph.usc.edu>
Subject: Re: Safeway + Your Privacy
In-Reply-To: <199404160738.AAA04602@nunki.usc.edu>
Message-ID: <Pine.3.87.9404160946.A27474-0100000@crl.crl.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


C'punks,

On Sat, 16 Apr 1994, Julietta wrote:

> . . .
> 
> And Sandy Sandfort responded:
> > 
> > And what, pray tell, would be your cause of action?  Why don't you just 
> > pay cash if you are so bothered?
> 
> The thing is- yes of course, one coulpd pay cash to avoid Safeway- and in
> fact, perhaps that is one must do. However, it seems to me that we a re
> touching on alarger issue here- and that is the fact that these practices
> amount to societal surveillance techniques which are being employed with
> greater and greater frequency. . .
>
> 	I am not suggesting a grand conspiricy, although I think that
> computer technology could potentially inadvertently give great power to a
> centralized government. I suppose that is why it is so important not to
> merely say "Hey- pay cash"- but rather to think about the further
> implications of surveillance via computer in our society. . .
> 
> Julie


First, my main point was that the original poster's solution (i.e., "sue 
the shit out of Safeway") was sophomoric.  I don't see any basis for a 
cause of action.

Second, other than pay cash or--as someone else suggested--shop 
elsewhere, what are your options?  These solutions work.  Since Julie 
seems to think they are not enough, what would she suggest?  If one is 
concerned about centralizing power in the government, than that would 
seem to eliminate governmental solutions such as suing or sponsoring 
"privacy" laws, n'est-ce pas?


 S a n d y