Information Privacy Issues in the Information Age

Information Privacy Issues in the Information Age

Discussion Began when we observed

Pervasive effect of Data Bases and Data Base Likages on

Normal LifeWhether we are planning travel, changing tickets, getting a driver's license, having a

medical test, filling a prescription, or buying gasolene, we are affecting and using the database of our life and our activities.  Now days we drive cars with GPS systems

that can track our every mile.  Don't tell me you went to the library when your car was parked in front of the bar for 3 hours.

Today we inject our pets with simple chips that show up an identification number on a special scanner.  This chip is used to help find lost pets.  In a short time frame, less than 5 years, it will be possible perhaps even normal to put a chip in our kids that provides us with the ability to monitor them constantly.  Similar implants are used

today to monitor hearts with arythmias.  The heart monitoring system could be enhanced to include locating systems to notify Emergency Medical Services about an

individual who needs help.

The director of IT services for charities in Hong Kong noted in a conversation that a chip with GPS and GSM capability could be used to locate the many old folks who had

disabilities that caused them to wander and get physically lost. Combined with heart and respiration monitors, such chips and the accompaniing data systems could

reduce worry and save lives.

But such systems would also enable great intrusion of Big Brother into our lives.

Good Linkages Bring Joy to Consumers

We observed that good linkages such as typically maintained by travel planning systems brings joy to consumers who must deal with

changing plans. We have observed similar good data linkages, that assisted consumers. For instance, if you need a prescription filled in

the US you can go to many drugstores that have access to insurance records and get what you need. 

Some time ago, my sister-in-law visited us. I noticed that her car had an oil leak. Even though the leak appeared to be minor she needed to take it to be fixed. I took her to the repair place we often visited.

The clerk looked up our records on the computer and noted that we were repeat customers, so he fixed my visitor's car fast and for no

charge as a favor to a regular customer as identified by the computer.

Many Linkages were surprises and caused problems

In our paper we identified many linkages as surprises. For instance, Paul lived in

Masssachusetts and California. When he tried to get a driver's license in Florida he was told he

had a problem in Maine, a state where he never lived and only visited a few times.  None of us knew that the parking ticket system in Maine

would be linked to the driver's license system in Florida or any place else. Not only was this

system linked but it was wrong and the only Paul received was when he tried to get a license. 

No Accountability for Errors

When errors happen such as we described about Paul, the client and not the provider of the system or the content is

accountable for the errors that happen. In fact the provider is likely never notified that there was an error.  Even if the provider felt badly about the error there is likely no path to a repair of the system or the data.

As best we can tell, this lack of accountability and lack of data repairability is common. Even if you fix the errors in

one place there is no certainty that corrections will propogate to all the locations in which the error exists. The concept of forward and backward propogation of

corrections does not exist in the general case.

What are the rules?

With Travel Data, Corrections can be entered at the point of

access• There is a known appeal process

• If the agent needs authority to fix something the agent contacts a supervisor

With Driver's License the job is done

• When the client is informed that a problem exists

• The information provided to the client may be wrong

• What matters is that the system provided an answer, any answer

• Investigations get triggered only for disastrous errors

Literature Says People Will Share Info for Benefits

Privacy Advocates Tend to Protest Sharing

• Demand Opt Out as a minimum

• Want Opt In

PEW Funded Study says

• People willing to share for benefits

• People want Penalties for misuse of private data

• Cost of Misuse from Internet Use appears to be low at present

Now Enter 9/11

The Ability to Do Great Harm Does not Require Traditional

Weapons• The First Attack was dramatic

• Other attacks could be devastating but not dramatic

Loyalty is a State of Mind

• A Concept from WWII and earlier

• Who will some way disrupt "our way of life"

Travel Security Interview is of necessity cursory

• It does not do the job

• It is annoying– Airline Executives have requested changes

Dershowitz asks about the role of technology

• Can Technologies?– Improve accuracy– Reduce hassel– Make Profiling more specific

Can Information Technology Do More

Improve Security

• Better Individual Identification

• Better Event Identification and Interruption

• Less hassel for bystanders

Improve Convenience

• Opt Easily when benefit obvious

• Relevant info available on Client Request

What do we need?

Improvement in ethics training

• What's OK and what's not OK

• How do we add ot the list of OK and Not OK

• When do decisions need exposure?

Better Implementations

• Trusted Info Avail when we want it

• Ability to Turn info on and off

• Accountability for Errors

Information Privacy Issues in the Information Age