Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83 based; site houxu.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxj!houxm!houxu!welsch From: welsch@houxu.UUCP (Larry Welsch) Newsgroups: net.flame Subject: LISTS "Should Ice Cream Parlors Verify" Message-ID: <503@houxu.UUCP> Date: Fri, 4-Jan-85 13:44:46 EST Article-I.D.: houxu.503 Posted: Fri Jan 4 13:44:46 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 5-Jan-85 03:13:24 EST Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ Lines: 25 I would like to comment on the following: > Farrells had sold their list to a marketing firm that passed it to the SS. > They were upset when they discovered its usage and got it back from them. > The SS felt that this was perfectly legal. SS = Selective Service There are 2 issues: 1) Does Farrells have the "right" to sell a list of names of people and 2) Given that lists of names of people are available does the government (IRS, SS, whoever) have the right to purchase the lists to catch people breaking the law. I fail to see how the answer to question 2 can be anything than yes. Why should the government have fewer rights than anyone else. The answer to question 1 is more complex. I believe that a person should have to the right to be informed before her/his name is put on a list and what uses the list is put too. If a person does not want her/his name on the list then she/he should have the right to have it removed. There are some lists to which this right does not apply, such as the list of known criminals. This is directly related to a person's right to privacy, which is not a right guarenteed by the US constitution. Larry Welsch houxu!welsch