HOW DATABANKS GET THE GOODS ON EVERYBODY

Before the computer, personal records accumulated by a government agency or a company remained in the files of that organization. Unlimited amounts of personal data are being gathered by scores of organizations and fed into data banks. There are few ways for persons to find out all the organizations that keep records about them, what records they have, or how the use them. Banks no longer maintain strict confidentiality of account records, and the introductions of the electronic funds transfer will make access to personal records easier. Medical records are no longer confidential except to the patient. The Privacy Protection Study Commission has emphasized public-policy objectives that include minimizing intrusiveness, and maximizing fairness. To protect the individual companies should use only the information they need, the person should have the right of refusal, and destruction policies should be instituted.