WP: Critics Question Impartiality of (DHS) Panel Studying Privacy Rights

[DeepModem Mom]

Critics Question Impartiality of Panel Studying Privacy Rights

By Jonathan Krim
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 11, 2005; Page E01


Even before recent security breaches exposed private data about millions of consumers, the Department of Homeland Security was assembling a public board to recommend how to best safeguard privacy, as the agency makes use of growing stores of information collected about U.S. citizens.

But the 20-member panel has angered security and privacy-rights advocates who charge that it is tilted toward the industries that profit most from gathering, using and selling personal information, often to the government.

Two of the members work for database-marketing companies, while two others work for think tanks that receive funding from the industry. Other members represent the insurance, airline-reservation, technology-research and database-software industries. At least two members are from companies with Homeland Security contracts....

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Privacy and security advocates said there should be a strong public voice to balance those in the information business. They noted that database brokers and other companies have extensive records on virtually every adult in the United States, and those records are regularly bought and sold with little oversight. Moreover, the government is increasingly turning to the private sector for such information to help strengthen national security....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25345-2005Mar10.html