‘Privacy Set Sail Around 1995’

To The Editor:
This is in response to March 7 article by Al Campbell “Address List Isn’t Private It’s Public.”
The article details how Cape May County was a friend of the court, siding with Union County in their attempt to keep a mailing list from Tina Renna who maintains a web site called Union County Watchdog.
I’d like to inform all those who are not Internet /computer savvy and those of you that having been living under a rock of the following news flash. Privacy set sail around 1995 with advent of the Internet. Go to Google and type in your name and see what comes up. Go to Zaba and you can find additional information. How about Facebook and Twitter, you think corporate America isn’t mining that mother lode of personal information? Google tax records and see thousands of hits. Much of this information is free and the rest can be had for a fee. It could be argued that even before the Internet we lost our privacy.
Sales organizations have used cross reference directories that listed name and phone number for almost every home, on any given block. Anyone with money could lease one of these lists. These lists are created from numerous sources. Another source of data mining is all those so-called prize contests that you enter by giving up your personal information. (Remember what Dad told you about there being no free lunch?) How about all those savers cards the chains have everybody using? These stores know your name and contact information. If the government was really interested in saving grandma from the bad guys, start with shutting down these information mills.
Social Security numbers, personnel records and other sensitive information is already protected by the Open Public Records act.
The only reason Union County didn’t want Union County Watch Dog to have that list of addresses, is because they don’t want voters knowing what’s going on. That’s why the Appellate Court saw right through this baloney and delivered the right ruling.
BARRY FELICE
Cape May