In the information age, more and more personal information will be available in an “online” environment, from health information, financial information and spending patterns to other digital data. In addition, many providers of online services will have the ability to track users’ interests, purchases and inquiries. Privacy protections should be a fundamental right of all those who travel the information superhighway.
Predictor: Markey, Edward
Prediction, in context:In a 1991 article in Direct Marketing, Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) is quoted. The article says: ”The chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance sent a letter in early October to Steve Case, CEO, America Online (AOL), questioning the company’s privacy policy. The letter follows an announcement that AOL has made its subscriber file available for rent. ‘In the information age, more and more personal information will be available in an “online” environment,’ said the letter from Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), ‘from health information, financial information and spending patterns to other digital data. In addition, many providers of online services will have the ability to track users’ interests, purchases and inquiries.’ Markey said privacy protections should be a fundamental right of all those who travel the information superhighway … Markey said that privacy protections were written into this year’s so-called ‘information superhighway’ legislation (H.R. 3626 and H.R. 3636), including a privacy ‘bill of rights’ that would give consumers knowledge that the information is being collected about them, notice that the recipient intends to reuse or sell the information and the right to say ‘no’ and curtail such practices.”
Date of prediction: December 1, 1994
Topic of prediction: Controversial Issues
Subtopic: Privacy/Surveillance
Name of publication: Direct Marketing
Title, headline, chapter name: Congressman Questions List-Rental Practices of Online Services
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://web24.epnet.com/citation.asp?tb=1&_ug=dbs+0%2C1%2C2%2C3+ln+en%2Dus+sid+5FFAF5B3%2D10FC%2D4DB7%2D864E%2D7721F93555F7%40sessionmgr5+90C3&_us=bs+list++rental++practices++of++online++services+ds+list++rental++practices++of++online++services+dstb+KS+gl+%5Fs%5F0+hd+0+hs+0+or+Date+ri+KAAACBUC00023760+sm+KS+ss+SO+B8DD&fn=1&rn=1
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Butler, Lawrence