NEGATIVE – DISADVANTAGE – GOVERNMENT DATABASE ABUSE 187

NEGATIVE — DISADVANTAGE — GOVERNMENT DATABASE ABUSE 187

AFFIRMATIVE PLAN LEADS TO SERIOUS GOVERNMENT ABUSES

SHELL

A. THERE IS LITTLE REASON TO FEAR GROWTH OF CORPORATE DATA EXCHANGES, IT IS GOVERNMENT DATA USE WE SHOULD FEAR

Solveig Singleton, director of information studies at the Cato Institute, January 22, 1998 Cato Policy Analysis No. 295 PRIVACY AS CENSORSHIP: A Skeptical View of Proposals to Regulate Privacy in the Private Sector http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-295.html // acs-EE2001

We have no good reason to create new privacy rights. Most private-sector firms that collect information about consumers do so only in order to sell more merchandise. That hardly constitutes a sinister motive. There is little reason to fear the growth of private-sector databases.

What we should fear is the growth of government databases. Governments seek not merely to sell merchandise but to exercise police and defense functions. Because governments claim these unique and dangerous powers, we restrict governments' access to information in order to prevent abuses. Privacy advocates miss the target when they focus on the growth of private-sector databases.

B. AFFIRMATIVE CREATES A NEW GOVERNMENTAL DATA CONTROL CAPACITY

C. WE CANNOT TRUST THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH PRIVATE INFORMATION, IT WILL LOSE IT AND ABUSE IT

The Detroit News, March 12, 1999, SECTION: Editorial; Pg. Pg. A12 TITLE: Privacy.com Web // acs-EE2001

But it is downright dangerous to invite the federal government to control information exchange. The government's record on protecting privacy is dismal, and its mismanagement of data is legion. And there is no end to the political purposes to which personal data could be put.

The Clinton administration, in particular, has pursued policies to thwart technological progress. Be it the unconstitutional Communications Decency Act or curbs on encryption, the White House has sought to criminalize technology rather than punish wrongful behavior.

D. PRIVACY PROCEDURES ARE USED TO HIDE GOVERNMENT WRONG-DOING

Ura Greenbaum, Executive Director, Association for the Defence of People and Property Under Public Curatorship, The Gazette (Montreal), March 9, 2000, SECTION: Editorial / Op-ed; B2 TITLE: Privacy laws are often misused // acs-VT2001

Robyn Sarah (Comment, March 4) astutely points out the subtle side- effects of double-edged privacy laws which, while protecting confidentiality, end up placing some people at risk or aggravating their condition, particularly vulnerable people.

We constantly run into the same wall of secrecy from authorities who deny information on the ground of privacy. However, it is not always privacy that is being protected when privacy is invoked. We have noticed authorities often invoke privacy to avoid scrutiny of their own conduct.