The problem with data brokering
I needed a few moments of relaxation and tuned in to C-Span
just to see what was happening and maybe to listen to some
interesting discussion. I got more than I bargained for.
A woman was testifying before a Senate committee about
what is known as "data brokering." This is a completely unregulated
"industry" that is currently raking in billions of $$ annually.
How in God's name can any libertarian -anyone at all- justify
what is going on? As the woman said, the people in data brokering
businesses have no morals, no conscience, no sensitivity, and no shame.
Here is what is being sold for about 7.9 cents per name :
Take your pick-
Names and addresses of policemen in any community of your choice
Names and addresses, sometimes phone numbers, of victims of rape
" " " of people with various diseases or
medical conditions
" " " of mothers, plus numbers of children
in families
" " " of people with various professional
or other interests
This goes on and on approximately to infinity.
Consumers have no choice as things are but either to put up with this crap
or to opt out of the system entirely. There is no alternative, like
allowing
one's name to be posted, and maybe a phone number, but nothing else.
It has to be all or nothing at all.
Credit scores are regulated but are easy to circumvent with alternative
metrics that provide the same kind of overall rating.
While it may be true -although maybe not- that the market would correct
for this kind of outrage sooner or later, this could well take a great deal
of time. It has already taken more than a decade since the problem was
first identified and there still has been no meaningful industry action.
What about the meantime? Doesn't the meantime count? This is a
gigantic flaw in libertarian thinking.
What about the cop who knows that his family is in danger because
a list is in circulation pin-pointing where he lives?
What about a rape victim who now feels that she needs to relocate
and abandon having a credit report because of harassment
caused by her name being hawked on the internet ?
What about hucksters selling inferior drugs or faulty medical products
to seniors who don't really have full command of their wits?
And on and on and on even more.
It is completely impossible for the market to correct anything at all
for people who are now being victimized by entirely legal data brokering.
Even if the abuse stopped in the next 48 hours the damages have
been done, and some damages have been severe and may even
be life threatening into the indefinite future.
Worse, the market shows no signs at all of self-regulation.
These abuses could continue until 2020 or even longer than that.
Exactly how many structural flaws there are in market functions
I cannot say, but here is one that is so sick and sickening that you would
think
even die-hard libertarians would be unable to deny the obvious.
Prediction: They will deny the obvious anyway.
It seems obvious to me what that would say about libertarianism.
Just a few observations
Billy
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