Apr 11
16
Privacy Rights According To The US Government?
Know Your Rights
Maybe I am getting old or maybe my mind is just going, but has the world gone crazy? I just read an article that talks about how 2 US Senators have gotten together and introduced a bill called “Commercial Privacy Bill of Rights”. Now that sounds great.
It starts out with some basic findings…
- Personal privacy is worthy of protection through appropriate legislation.
- Trust in the treatment of personally identifiable information collected on and off the Internet is essential for businesses to succeed.
- Persons interacting with others…have a significant interest in their personal information…..
The bill then goes on to set limits on what can be collected and how it can be used.
The crazy part is their understanding of a “Right”. I have a “Right” to Free speech however, I can fired for speaking out. I have a “Right” to bear arms but my employer can prohibit me from carry a gun to work. I have a “Right” to be secure against unreasonable searches however my bags can be searched at any check point I choose to go through. All this time we have been told that the “Rights” we have prohibit the Government from infringing upon these rights, but private companies can set their own rules. We just have to have the option of leaving.
In this case John McCain and John Kerry seem to have it backwards. In their bill they are telling private companies what they can collect from willing citizens. They are telling private companies what they can do with the information that was freely given to them. However, they have EXEMPTED all Government agencies from these rules. This is a “Right” that the Government believes we DO NOT HAVE. How can the Government say it’s a Right while they say they are the ones who can infringe upon it. Don’t we have the Right to be protected from the Government.
This is the same Government that has tried to make it easier for themselves to get access to cell phone tracking data, GPS data, emails, and secret disclosure of our emails. The Government has taken the stance that in order to protect us they should have the right to request information about us and our activities from our Internet Service Providers without a warrant. Plus they frequently attach a gag order to the request. They want your ISP to give them your information but prohibit them from telling you they did.
What’s the biggest difference between the Government and Private companies? The Government can force us to give them information while private companies need our permission. If I choose to tell a private company everything about me in exchange for a “rewards card”, shouldn’t I have the choice? If I don’t want the Government to know everything about me, shouldn’t I also have the choice?
Please watch carefully what our representatives do. If we don’t hold them accountable, we may wake up one day without the Rights we have taken for granted.