Date: Fri, 22 Apr 94 08:08:57 EST
Errors-To: Comp-privacy Error Handler <owner-comp-privacy@uwm.edu>
From: Computer Privacy Digest Moderator <comp-privacy@uwm.edu>
To: Comp-privacy@uwm.edu
Subject: Computer Privacy Digest V4#056
Computer Privacy Digest Fri, 22 Apr 94 Volume 4 : Issue: 056
Today's Topics: Moderator: Leonard P. Levine
Long Distance Companies
Clipper Chip Status
National Medical Records Network
Information Resource
Re: K-12 Schools & SSNs
Re: Let your fingers do the walking on the Internet
Re: Simon's Privacy Protection Bill
The Computer Privacy Digest is a forum for discussion on the effect
of technology on privacy. The digest is moderated and gatewayed into
the USENET newsgroup comp.society.privacy (Moderated). Submissions
should be sent to comp-privacy@uwm.edu and administrative requests
to comp-privacy-request@uwm.edu. Back issues are available via
anonymous ftp on ftp.cs.uwm.edu [129.89.9.18]. Login as "ftp"
with password "yourid@yoursite". The archives are in the directory
"pub/comp-privacy". Archives are also held at ftp.pica.army.mil
[129.139.160.133].
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From: Rob Goldberg <rhg@cis.ufl.edu>
Date: 20 Apr 1994 17:50:54 GMT
Subject: Long Distance Companies
Organization: Univ. of Florida CIS Dept.
I recently ordered a second phone line to my home and the operator
asked if I wanted my social security number to be released to whatever
long distance company I happened to use. I told her to forget it.
I was wondering: what possible reason would these long distance
companies need this information for?
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From: WIT_MHLABA@flo.org
Date: 21 Apr 1994 13:40:44 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Clipper Chip Status
Does anyone know the current status of the clipper chip encryption
method which the Clinton Administration has been pushing as a way to
fight crime? I understand that some, in the business community oppose
it because they fear that it will open up their information to the
competition or drive away customers for American Information Services
providers, especially among foreign customers, who fear US Government
eavesdropping or are simply against it for nationalist reasons.
Others, as I understand it, oppose it because they claim it will
compromise privacy and confidentiality. How will the clipper chip
compromise privacy, etc. other than at the time the feds may be
snooping around? Are opponents opposed to fed snooping or to the
possibility that such snooping will also OPEN UP their systems to
non-authorized eavesdroppers? I'd really appreciate hearing from
anyone who is up on this.
I am researching how best to control computer crime without messing
around with confidentiality, privacy or sovereignty. Sondlo Lenny
Mhlaba--Wentwoth Institute of Technology, Bos. MA. 617-442-9010.
[moderator: Perhaps people who wish to, can email to Mr. Mhlaba as
this has been fairly extensively discussed recently here.]
------------------------------
From: ramarim@aol.com
Date: 21 Apr 94 19:08:25 EDT
Subject: National Medical Records Network
The following excerpt was taken from a Humana Health Care Plans
'Living Healthy' newsletter.
Information Network Helps Us Serve You Faster
Humana was recently selected to join a national medical information
network created by Integrated Medical Systems. The network will reduce
paperwork and expedite the flow of information between Humana, our
physicians, and related health care providers.
Improved Service
We will be the only managed care organization in Central Kentucky with this
technology, which was specially designed to decrease our turn-around time and
improve our ability to provide you with quality health care.
Special Features
Specific features of the information network include the following:
-eligibility/benifit verification
-referral entry, including transmission of a referaral to a specialist if
he or she is in the network
-claim and encounter entry
-electronic communication with other participants of the information
network, including results reporting from laboratories and hospitals and file
transmission
------------
Is there any knowledge of this national network and how it works?
I become concerned today anytime anyone wants to include me in an
information gathering system for my benefit. I can imagine all sorts
of nightmare's that could be associated with a national health net that
gathers information from 'all' services.
I can also imagine how the young lady, attending the reception desk,
doing data entry in her spare time, would record our 'encounter' the
afternoon I showed up at the doctors office because my mothers pain
medication was called in to the pharmacy incorrectly by the doctor as a
last jesture of the day before leaving. This, after firm assurances
from his nurse that she would make sure it was done and she would be in
the office until it was. She wasn't.
Am I doomed to be an unwilling participant in this system? Are my
concerns justified?
------------------------------
From: m_enlow@enlow.com (Michael Enlow)
Date: 21 Apr 94 20:46:18 -0700
Subject: Information Resource
We wanted to let you know about some great info we are making freely
available on the Internet.
My name is Michael Enlow. I am a retired private/legal investigater and
author of several books regarding private investigation/electronic
surveillance technology.
I wish to extend my services to the Internet to share and exchange
information on security and privacy protection issues. We are making a
lot of very informative info available FREE on the Internet. This
includes back issues of my newsletter "Inside Secrets", my schematics
and plans, resources, guides, and other information.
For details on accessing these FREE services, send an e-mail message to
INFO@ENLOW.COM you can also FTP to ENLOW.COM or FTP.ENLOW.COM, and
login as anonymous (put your email address as the password). There is a
listserver in place to send you files if you do not have access to FTP.
Your comments and suggestions are welcome.
Thanks for your time.
------------------------------
From: tabrown@gis1dilurb.er.usgs.gov (tim brown)
Date: 20 Apr 1994 15:27:59 GMT
Subject: Re: K-12 Schools & SSNs
Organization: other
glr@rci.ripco.com (Glen Roberts) writes: Please contact me, if
your school (K-12) has asked for your kid social security numbers.
Whether this is a regular part of the registration process, or a
special request. <snip>
This is tangential to this topic, but definitely related. I'd like to
inform everyone of a current SSN# battle that I am involved with. The
culprit: The Insurance Company of Decatur (IL,USA) formerly known as
Federal Kemper Insurance Co.
They have repeatedly been asking me for my SSN# for "identification," I
have refused to give it, and have offered DOB, DL#, etc. to be used as
"identification" instead. They went ahead and issued the policies (auto
and renter's), IMHO, because they had already cashed my check. They
sent me a form saying something to the effect of "you forgot to fill in
the blank for your SSN#, please fill it in and return the form." I went
so far as to provide them a copy of the SSN FAQ, to no avail. NOW they
(ICD) are saying that I can only receive the "promised" discount
associated with having 2 or more policies, IF I provide my SSN#. Do I
have any recourse?
What if I have to file a claim and they (ICD) tell me, "We'll pay, BUT
we need your SSN# first"? What really burns me is that they waited
until AFTER they accepted my check to start this battle. Please,
anyone with suggestions, please repond here, or via e-mail.
--
Timothy A. Brown, Civil Engineer - Urbana, IL
tabrown@srv1dilurb.er.usgs.gov
"Consistency has never been a mark of stupidity."--James Forrestal
------------------------------
From: rfrank@kaiwan.com (Ronald E. Frank)
Date: 20 Apr 1994 20:12:20 -0700
Subject: Re: Let your fingers do the walking on the Internet
Organization: The Mushroom Factory
Jeremy Epstein wrote: ...It's entirely possible to copyright
collections of information which is otherwise public (I don't
recall the exact term). And making modifications to the list does
not invalidate the copyright. BTW, I'm told that in some cases
like this there is a deliberate set of false data seeded in, so
that if someone makes a copy it will contain the false data, and
can be shown not to be an independent work.
It's a factual compilation (section 101 of the 1976 Copyright Act).
See also *Hutchinson Telephone Co, vs. Frontier Directory Co.*, 770
F.2d. 128 (8th Cir. 1985).
BUT, in *Feist Publications, Inc. v. Rural Telephone Service Company,
Inc.* 111 S.Ct. 1282 (US 1991), the Supremes (9-0!) held that an
alphabetical telephone listing (which contained four fictitious
listings to detect copying) was NOT original and therefore was not
protected by the Copyright Act.
No one may copyright facts or ideas. The "sweat of the brow" doctrine,
which held that the effort involved in collecting the information
entitled the compilation to copyright protection, appears to be dead.
"Copyright rewards originality, not effort."
Read it for yourself; but IMHO the question is settled.
------------------------------
From: jonescpp@aol.com (JONESCPP)
Date: 21 Apr 1994 15:55:02 -0400
Subject: Re: Simon's Privacy Protection Bill
Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364)
lpincus@wppost.depaul.edu writes: The House Resolution side of
Simon's Bill (they are identical), is H.R. 1900. The Bill
originated as a result of individuals who did not wish to have
their work evaluated as a result of the number of "keystrokes"
typed per hour and\or the numer of calls made per hour. In a
typically government fashon (a mouse made to government
specifications is an elephant) the bill limits, in some case
prohibits and in other cases limits without prior notification,
the use of any device that uses an electronic signal, which can be
used to evaluate work performance.
I have written several articles concerning this proposed Bill, and will
be speaking on it at the upcoming Emergency Management Agency in
Chicago Heights, Illinois later this month. (It is out of committee
and is headed to the House floor). I will FAX you a copy of the
article. Patrick Jones, CPP
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End of Computer Privacy Digest V4 #056
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