Privacy-related links

The Washington Post reports on an attempt by consumer groups to have the Federal Trade Commission implement a "Do Not Track" registry, which would allow consumers to prevent companies from tracking which websites they visit. It is modeled after the Do Not Call list that was developed by the FTC and prevented telemarketers from calling those numbers on the list. As the article notes, there are a number of challenges, both technological and operational to implement such a system. However, it appears to be a concept that the FTC favors in allowing consumers to prevent companies from collecting or using their personal information - including, presumably, location-based information. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/31/AR2007103101000.html?hpid=topnews

Attached is a link to a proposed law in Wisconsin that would prohibit a locality that permits access to its tax records over the internet from allowing those records to be searched by property owner name. By all accounts it has caused a great deal of debate in the state's GIS community. http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2007/data/AB496hst.html