DATE=3/11/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-39220
TITLE=PROTECTING PRIVACY
BYLINE=LINDA CASHDAN
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: PUBLIC CONCERN ABOUT THE LOSS OF INDIVIDUAL PRIVACY IS
RISING IN THE UNITED STATES, AND FOR GOOD REASON: VOA ECONOMICS
CORRESPONDENT LINDA CASHDAN REPORTS PRIVACY ADVOCATES SAY IT IS
MORE DIFFICULT FOR AMERICANS TO KEEP THE PERSONAL DETAILS OF
THEIR LIVES OUT OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN THAN IT IS FOR CITIZENS IN
ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
TEXT: WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW THE JOB HISTORY, ADDRESS, SOCIAL
SECURITY NUMBER, BUYING HABITS, OR PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION OF ANY
U-S CITIZEN? IF SO, SAYS WILLIAM HUBBARTT, THE AUTHOR OF A NEW
BOOK ON WORKPLACE PRIVACY, IT SHOULD NOT BE TOO DIFFICULT TO FIND
OUT.
THAT'S BECAUSE THE UNITED STATES IS THE MOST TECHNOLOGICALLY
ADVANCED DATA COLLECTOR IN THE WORLD, MR. HUBBARTT SAYS, AND
THERE ARE MANY CUSTOMERS FOR THE INFORMATION THAT IS COLLECTED.
WITH HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS SOARING, HE SAYS, EMPLOYERS WANT TO
KNOW ABOUT EXISTING ILLNESSES BEFORE THEY HIRE SOMEONE. IN
ADDITION, MR. HUBBARTT SAYS, U-S CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS THAT WERE
DESIGNED TO PROTECT WORKERS HAVE PROMPTED EMPLOYERS TO TAKE STEPS
TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST FUTURE LAWSUITS. THAT OFTEN
INVOLVES USING MODERN TECHNOLOGY TO SPY ON WORKERS' PERSONAL
HABITS.
// BEG HUBBARTT ACT //
BECAUSE OF THE EMPLOYER'S CONCERN FOR BEING SUED FOR
SEXUAL HARASSMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, EMPLOYERS TEND TO TRY TO
LIMIT EMPLOYEE DATING, AND EMPLOYEES REACTION IS, "HEY,
IF I WANT TO DATE SOMEBODY, I WANT TO DATE SOMEBODY!"
BUT THE EMPLOYER'S CONCERN IS "WELL, IF THE TWO OF YOU
ARE DATING AND THEN YOU BREAK UP AND YOU CLAIM SEXUAL
HARASSMENT, THEN I, THE EMPLOYER, AM DRAWN INTO THIS AND
SO IT'S SAFER FOR ME TO TRY TO CONTROL IT BY TRYING TO
PREVENT IT."
// END 1ST ACT //
DAVID BANISAR, A LAWYER FOR A PRIVACY ADVOCACY GROUP IN
WASHINGTON BLAMES THE U-S LEGAL SYSTEM TOO, BUT FOR A VERY
DIFFERENT REASON. MR. BANISAR SAYS U-S LAW DOES NOT ADEQUATELY
PROTECT CITIZENS.
// BEG BANISAR ACT //
UNLIKE THE EUROPEAN UNION, JAPAN, THAILAND, HONG KONG,
AND CANADA, WE DON'T HAVE ANY OVERARCHING LAW THAT
PROTECTS INDIVIDUALS FROM HAVING THEIR PRIVACY INVADED.
// END 2ND ACT //
MR. BANISAR SAYS OTHER FACTORS THAT ARE ERODING U-S PERSONAL
PRIVACY INCLUDE THE U-S GOVERNMENT'S DESIRE TO HAVE QUICK ACCESS
TO PERSONAL DATA IN FIGHTING CRIME AND COMBATTING FRAUD, AND THE
PRIVATE SECTOR'S DESIRE TO MAKE MONEY. HE SAYS THE BUYING AND
SELLING OF PERSONAL INFORMATION HAS BECOME A MULTIBILLION DOLLAR
BUSINESS -- AND NOT JUST FOR U-S FIRMS.
// BEG BANISAR ACT //
THE PHILIPPINES, FOR EXAMPLE, MAKES QUITE A BIT OF MONEY
OUT OF TAKING PHYSICAL RECORDS, SUCH AS YOUR MEDICAL
RECORDS, AND TYPING THEM IN (TO THE COMPUTER), BECAUSE
LABOR IS VERY CHEAP THERE. SO (U-S) COMPANIES WILL SEND
CONTAINER LOADS OF MEDICAL RECORDS TO THE PHILIPPINES TO
HAVE THEM TYPED IN AND THEN HAVE THEM SENT BACK TO THE
UNITED STATES IN ELECTRONIC FORM.
// END 3RD ACT //
PUBLIC CONCERN HAS GENERATED MORE THAN 40 DIFFERENT PRIVACY
PROTECTION BILLS IN THE U-S CONGRESS. HOWEVER, MR. BONISAR SAYS,
THE FORCES AGAINST SUCH MEASURES -- EMPLOYERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES, MARKETING FIRMS -- WILL PROBABLY PREVENT ANY OF THE
BILLS FROM PASSING.
HOWEVER, HE SAYS, A NEW PRIVACY DIRECTIVE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION
STIPULATES THAT DATA PROCESSING FIRMS FROM OTHER NATIONS WILL
HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THEY CAN PROTECT PERSONAL DATA OR LOSE OUT ON
LUCRATIVE EUROPEAN CONTRACTS. THAT, MR. BONISAR SAYS, COULD MAKE
U-S MULTINATIONALS LIKE I-B-M WORK TO ASSURE PRIVACY PROTECTION
IN THE UNITED STATES..
// BEG BONISAR ACT //
(U-S) INDUSTRIES ARE RECOGNIZING THAT WITH THE EUROPEAN
UNION DIRECTIVE, THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
OTHERWISE, THE UNITED STATES IS GOING TO GET CUT OUT OF
A LOT OF VERY VALUABLE FLOWS OF INFORMATION.
// END BONISAR ACT //
IRONICALLY, DAVID BONISAR SAYS, IT MAY BE MORE LIKELY THE IMPETUS
FOR U-S PRIVACY PROTECTION WILL COME FROM THE NEW EUROPEAN
PRIVACY DIRECTIVE THAN FROM ANY U-S LAW. (SIGNED)
NEB/LC/KL
11-Mar-98 10:16 AM EST (1516 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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