From: "Matthew J. Miszewski" <mjmiski@execpc.com>
Date: Tue, 3 Dec 1996 08:51:48 -0800 (PST)
To: "Timothy C. May" <tcmay@got.net>
Subject: Re: Most "digital cash" does not deserve the name
Message-ID: <3.0.32.19961203105035.0069b06c@execpc.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


(snip)
>(Just for the record, what the hypothetical insurance companies and
>employers are doing by using data they have obtained should not, in a free
>society, be illegal in any way. All information contributes to
>decision-making, about loans, credit, insurance, employment, etc. In a free
>society, it is up to people to not disclose that which they do not wish
>remembered.)

While the libertarians on the list have affected my way of looking at
regulation I, and others, do not subscribe (suscribe ;)) to Tim's absolute
theory.  Unless, of course, by free society Tim is refering to one where
corporations hold themselves to a level of "personal" responsibility, which
in many realms is part of any definition of "free".

Take, for example, the practice of redlining.  How are people who live in
"bad" neighborhoods supposed to not reveal that information.  Has anyone
tried to get a loan or a reasonable insurance rate without disclosing your
address?  Like I said, if insurance companies exercised some
"responsibility" as opposed to inaccurate assesments based on residence,
then this problem would not exist.  In the real world one can not avoid all
collection of data to be used in Bad(TM) ways.  

Media attention doesn't work.  Bad Business practices dont matter to most.
But those in need here should not have the luxury of appealing to their
elected officials?

Matthew J. Miszewski


>
>--Tim May
>
>
>Just say "No" to "Big Brother Inside"
>We got computers, we're tapping phone lines, I know that that ain't allowed.
>---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
>Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
>tcmay@got.net  408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
>W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
>Higher Power: 2^1398269     | black markets, collapse of governments.
>"National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."
>
>
>
>
>