As far as Clause 1 is concerned, there is no way for them to guarantee that someone hasn't placed a keystroke logger or some trojan on your machine. If your machine isn't secure, your use of their website isn't confidential.
John In a message dated 7/25/2003 3:28:58 PM Eastern Daylight Time, "Burton M. Strauss III" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >Dennis - you may be right that it's probably a CYA. But I think any web >site also needs to be aware of the sensitivity of the data and take >appropriate measures. Which they're explicitly saying they don't. If you >read up on the European data privacy directives - see for example >http://www.cdt.org/privacy/eudirective/ esp. SECTION VIII - CONFIDENTIALITY >AND SECURITY OF PROCESSING, it's an amazing 'privacy policy' for a European >company. > >It's not that I'm worried about them selling the data - we haven't gotten >that far yet. And as you point out, clause #7 is pretty good in that >regard. > >But I'm stuck on clause #1 (I'll snip the rest of my original msg and leave >that below). I'm worried about something much more important than privacy, >namely data security. > >They're asking for (perhaps) the 2nd most sensitive piece of information >about someone, your passport #. Combined with all the other data about me, >and the times I'll be away from home, etc. And they're sticking all this >into a database with zero security? > >That's my concern... > > >-----Burton > > > > >-----Original Message----- > >What if someone breaks into their site and steals your information? Might >you sue them? I think they, as a business, need to cover such >possibilities and so have to state it on their site. > >Specifically, you must have missed the following section: >7. USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION THAT YOU PROVIDE US > >During your use of our site, you may provide us with personal information >(such as your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address and credit >card information) for the purpose of making reservations, requesting >information or for other reasons. Holland America does not sell the >personal information of our users to third parties. > > >I really think they are just covering their ass for the possible case of >break in or someone stealing your account information from your computer >rather than trying to make a loop hole... > >I don't think this cuts it as a "hall of shame" candidate. > ><snip/> > >> I >> clicked on to the privacy policy, at >> http://www.hollandamerica.com/aboutus/policies/privacy.htm which says, >> >> "1. CONFIDENTIALITY >> >> Your confidential use of this site cannot be guaranteed by us. We shall >> not >> be responsible for any harm that you or any person may suffer as a result >> of >> a breach of confidentiality in respect to your use of this site." >> > ><snip /> > >-- >Dennis Durling >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >916-730-2889 > > >--------------------------------------------------------------------------- >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
