From: Rich Graves <rich@c2.org>
Date: Sat, 10 Aug 1996 04:51:47 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Oregon License Plate Site in the News Tonight!
In-Reply-To: <4uep7t$tkp@joseph.cs.berkeley.edu>
Message-ID: <Pine.GUL.3.95.960809091549.11566B-100000@Networking.Stanford.EDU>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


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On 9 Aug 1996, David Wagner wrote:

> In article <Pine.GUL.3.95.960808151724.6575A-100000@Networking.Stanford.EDU>,
> Rich Graves  <rich@c2.org> wrote:
> > I agree that this project needed to be done to educate the public, but I
> > must say I'm glad my name isn't attached to it. 
> > 
> > To answer legitimate concerns about abuse, perhaps version 2 could make the
> > relevant http logs publicly available?
> 
> I'd be most proud to have my name associated with such a project.
> 
> I say, what we need is a little more abuse.  I say, a well-publicized
> incident of abuse of the driver's license database can do more to
> help the cause of privacy than any amount of intellectually compelling
> debate.  Perhaps one horrible incident of abuse would ignite enough
> public backlash to stop states from selling their databases at the
> drop of a hat.

We did this in California, remember? You just need to target someone who's
been on TV.

> We have been shown all too many times how much a highly-publicized
> case of abuse can be used to trample on our civil liberties.  It's
> about time for us to wise up.  It's time to fight fire with fire.

I quite agree. But make it a controlled burn. Log everything. Restrict bulk
downloads. You don't need to let the genie all the way out of the bottle to
say "look, a genie."

It might be fun to make the database open for a couple weeks, without a
caveat about logging, and then publish the logs. Allow reverse lookups,
i.e., who looked up my record.  A nice little dragnet of people who are
interested in invading your privacy. 

For the near-medium term, I am resigned to the fact that government is going
to collect personal information, and that it is going to leak out. I'm just
interested in full disclosure of the leaks, and who is benefiting from them. 

- -rich

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