tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366199.post114180877662325481..comments2023-12-24T00:27:57.613-06:00Comments on Kole Hard Facts of Life: Mike Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17573721231319244630noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366199.post-1142275452026547372006-03-13T12:44:00.000-06:002006-03-13T12:44:00.000-06:00Some privacy issues are ethical matters, other pri...Some privacy issues are ethical matters, other privacy issues are matters of courtesy. If someone reads your mail without your consent, that is wrong. If someone photographs you in your front yard without your consent, that is bad manners but it isn't wrong. Different people have different ideas about what they consider to be private information. Some people consider it a violation of their privacy to look up their number and address in a phone book. They don't seem to realize that infomation in a phone book is public knowledge. Others seem to get upset when the "wrong" person reads their online profile, even though they voluntarily filled out that infomation for anyone with a modem to read. I find that it smoothes thing over when I ask people to voluntarily give their information rather than magically know about it in advance by Googling them.Robert Endershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15592475828737641009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366199.post-1142002161958710042006-03-10T08:49:00.000-06:002006-03-10T08:49:00.000-06:00Using the information gleaned from politcal party ...Using the information gleaned from politcal party questionaires is one thing, it can reasonably be expected that you would be contacted in that case. What data mining refers to is not web based information gathering. It is database and mailing list purchasing, by and large, that's why the cost to do it is so high.<BR/>Buying peoples information from organizations gets us into a place where privacy issue start to arise. Most people do not grant permission to businesses, organizations or what have you to share their information with third and fourth parties. This is the problem and a major reason why many businesses have had to go out of their way to reassure their customers, often in writing that their info will not be shared. Even that is suspect, tho where the government is concerned. Store chains and their "customer cards" have already shared information on purchasing with the government in its data mining efforts. This is the "slippery slope" for us. Using data without the explicit permission of the individual.<BR/>Again, data supplied voluntarily, (such as what we may get from LP members) is fine. Wholesale purchasing or acquisition of info, which is what data mining is, is not necessarily something we want to be involved with if we have any respect for privacy rights. <BR/>If we contact an individual who may have posted at a place like the Fair Tax site and left an email or contact info that's OK. They have implied that they wish to be contacted.On the other hand, if we obtain the Fair Tax mailing list and start contacting those folks....you can see where there might be problems? It's an issue we must really look at before we leap into it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366199.post-1141975692772470222006-03-10T01:28:00.000-06:002006-03-10T01:28:00.000-06:00Michael- There are all sorts of sources for data w...Michael- There are all sorts of sources for data which can involve voluntary use.<BR/><BR/>For instance, the Libertarian Party keeps a database on its members. Libertarianism encompasses every area of life, but our members have varied interests. Some are interested in Federal issues, such as the war in Iraq, while others are fiscally motivated on taxes and budgets, while others still hold 1st Amendment, or 2nd Amendment, etc... as their top issues.<BR/><BR/>It makes sense to identify our interests so as to best coordinate efforts where people have similar interests. Candidates running on a tax cut platform would do best to reach out to those with a similar view first. Not to say that the candidate couldn't attract 2nd Amendment folks as supporter or volunteers, just an efficiency item.<BR/><BR/>Maybe "mining" has a more specific meaning. I am *not* in favor of doing things that work to bypass firewalls. However, if people voluntarily post to a Fair Tax site, I have no problem with contacting that person via info found there any more than I would in contacting someone who writes a letter to the editor of the paper.Mike Kolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17573721231319244630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366199.post-1141944527228617812006-03-09T16:48:00.000-06:002006-03-09T16:48:00.000-06:00Data mining has a hidden bomb in it. You have to i...Data mining has a hidden bomb in it. You have to invade peoples privacy to gain the information. The majority of people whose information you get did not grant permission for it to be used for any purpose other than what it was originally intended, especially not to "profile" them. This is a very sticky situation for Libertarians and one that we might want to think seriously about. Yes, there is a gain to be had in vote numbers but at what cost? The numbers of people who consider this an invasion of their privacy is quite large, especially amongst Libertarians. <BR/>Using voter information, as we often do is one thing...the data gathered in "mining" may not be worth the costs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com