....And corporate retreat
Article Abstract:
Some analysts believe that the safety measures built in to Lotus Development's Lotus MarketPlace: Households data base were enough to safeguard the privacy of the individual's information. These safeguards included the ability of the individual to remove his or her name from the data base. Equifax executives also feel that given an educated choice, research reveals that consumers favor such consumer data bases two-to-one, if the product is to be used by direct marketers to target product information. Some analysts also feel the privacy issue should not be used to uniformly condemn all such personal information products. Any decision concerning the feasibility of a product should consider the impact of the information contained in the data base, along with the sensitivity of the information itself, and the issues of social responsibility.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: News, opinion and commentary
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1991
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An issue of consumer privacy...
Article Abstract:
Lotus Development's intended release of the Lotus MarketPlace: Households product and the ensuing public uproar highlight a growing concern for the individual's right to privacy. The subsequent discontinuation of the proposed product by Lotus shows, among other things, the power of a popular response. A number of lessons can be learned from the controversy. In the first place, consumers want control over who has access to personal data. Second, the general public does not understand the mailing list business and how easy it is to sell and exchange information. Finally, the response to the intended product shows the growing rise of an electronic grassroots lobbying group. Much of the opposition to the MarketPlace product was coordinated via bulletin board systems, private and public computer networks, and conferences.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: News, opinion and commentary
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1991
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