Date: Fri 16-Jul-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: CURT

Quick Words:

iinfo-Finding-People

Full Text:

INTERNET INFO FOR REAL PEOPLE: Finding People

By Bob Brand

The Web provides a low cost, easy-to-use means for finding almost anyone. For

the alumni who volunteer for the job of contacting old classmates for a high

school/college reunion, the Web is the best place to get that job done.

However, like so much on the Internet, once involved with a project like this,

things become a bit scary.

Specialized sites such as AnyWho, InfoSpace, WhoWhere, Yahoo People Search and

others provide a fill-in-the-blank method to access large databases of names,

addresses and e-mail addresses/Websites of millions of people. In many cases,

using only a last name and a state location, individuals can be traced.

With only a phone number, a reverse search yields the person's name and

address. Armed with an address, using a Website like MapBlast generates a

detailed street map corresponding to the address. People living in the

neighborhood can be found easily. A "people search" where the first and last

names are kept blank with only the street, town and state reveals the names

and full addresses of many neighbors. If searching for a lost relative or a

deadbeat dad, these services are a blessing. However, for many others, the

issue of privacy comes to mind when performing this type of search.

It Gets Worse

The "free" nature of Websites is driven by advertising. When using people

search sites often banner ads appear for services providing deeper and more

comprehensive information. For example public record reports including

everything from addresses going back 10 years to driver's license physical

information (Florida and Texas) can be obtained at a 1800USSEARCH.com at costs

ranging from $10 to $40. Payment is made via credit card through the Website.

The question of the availability of DMV information raises the level of

controversy. A New Hampshire company (Data Images LLC) received $1.46 million

from the Secret Service to create a national network of photos. Now the

company is approaching state governments and attempting to buy driver's

license photos. According to a series of articles in Charleston, South

Carolina's The Post and Courier , the program now swirls in controversy as

three states who sold their photos (including South Carolina) want to back

out. Southern rhetoric runs high on the issue. "The selling of drivers'

license photos prostitutes the privacy of every Tennessean. Citizens of

Tennessee supply personal information to the state for purposes of obtaining a

driver's license and not for the purpose of providing the state with a

marketable database of personal information," said Hedy Weinberg, executive

director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee. On the other side

of the issue is heard: "We were right tickled we were going to be out front

one time on something besides `dumb,'" said Jim Hatchell, President of the

South Carolina Merchants Association. "It's because we're first in `dumb' that

we can't be first in anything else."

Not exactly. South Carolina also ranks first in its rate of credit fraud,

which increases costs for retail businesses that pass it on to consumers in

higher prices. That's one reason Image Data LLC picked the Palmetto State for

its pilot program.

The Feds

Federal legislation (The Drivers' Privacy Protection Act) was passed to

prevent states from selling driver's license information. However, a federal

district court and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals argued that it violates

states' rights (10th Amendment to the Constitution). The Supreme Court has

agreed to hear the appeal. If the federal position is upheld, the federal

government would use highway fund restrictions to enforce compliance with the

law.

The Internet cannot be held responsible for raising the issue of privacy.

Forces on both sides of privacy questions have been at work long before the

Internet came into the public's conscience. However, the Internet brings them

into sharper focus as Web surfers see first hand how easily electronic

information becomes accessible. In addition, the Internet allows concerned

citizens to express their feelings to elected officials who pass privacy laws.

Periodically, active Web users should use the Internet to determine how much

information has been gathered on them. Using a "people search" site is a good

place to start that quest.

URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) of interest:

http://www.anywho.com/

http://www.infospace.com/

http://www.whowhere.lycos.com/

http://people.yahoo.com/

(This is the 163rd of a series of elementary articles designed for surfing the

Internet. Next, "Free Fax" is the subject on tap. Stay tuned. Until next week,

happy travels through cyberspace. Previous issues of Internet Info for Real

People can be found: http://www.thebee.com. Please e-mail comments and

suggestions: rbrand@JUNO.com or editor@thebee.com.)