Anatomy Of A Netscam - Reply To Lester

[Bill Quimby, ICS, ext. 5696]

>So, is any of this a big exciting deal?  Nope.  It is just some
>hack writer trying to dig up some exciting "dirt" to sell a few
>more papers and incite librarians and others to more heart
>attacks and nervous breakdowns.  

>There MUST be something more exciting to worry about....

     Dan, I have always enjoyed your pragmatic approach to library and
Internet information issues, but...

     I view the issue as one of the potential for dollar pursuit
(and probably survival as the "market" shakes out) leading to significant
betrayals of privacy. I am not aware of ANY guarantees or committments 
from any of the existing index services that the interests of users 
will not be resold to others who would attempt to capitalize from the 
knowledge of those interests. Yes, indeed, in many areas of life this 
reselling is a fact of life - but at least in those areas there is (or at 
least now after the passage of state and federal laws) some sort of 
warning expected, and some sort (as in the case of junk mail) of channel 
permitting the individual to block continued infringement.

     I think it appropriate for the Internet community, and the library 
community both as an important part of the total Internet community and as a
social entity that has created, voluntarily, excellent standards for the
protection of the privacy of information-seekers, to step in and remind 
these young gentle-people (perhaps overcome by their success?) that they are 
now occupying an incredibly important position in a very tender democracy, 
and that we strongly need their affirmation that they understand what
privacy rights are and that they will protect those rights. Otherwise they 
must at least be persuaded to present a warning to the user (but of course 
in Java) explaining that her/his interests may be captured and manipulated
for profit.


    The Easily Incitable Bill Quimby
    Manager of Library Automation
    Kenyon College
    Quimby at Kenyon.Edu