Comments on: Public Information Too Public

By: sam

sam — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 01:45:12 +0000

Uh, I put my name in there, minus my middle initial, and got a hit...with a different middle initial, and birthdate. Likewise with my brother's name minus the middle initial. Try it yourself, and tell me that there's not a momentary frisson if your name pops up.

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:12:07 +0000

On those political contributions..... for the same reasons teachers have tenure and union votes should be secret, management has a way of punishing disloyalty.

Um, isn't punishing people for not giving money to certain people already illegal?

By: DL

DL — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:21:25 +0000

On those political contributions..... for the same reasons teachers have tenure and union votes should be secret, management has a way of punishing disloyalty. Sorry, but contributions should not be published info. How else to police politicians...?????

By: PD Shaw

PD Shaw — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:06:00 +0000

There has long been a lot of information available by calling or taking a trip to the city or county building. It is being put on the internet as a convenience. And now its very convenient.

A lot of information is public not because people have a genuine need to check on each other, but a need to check on the government. Buch of paranoid tea-spillers.

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:47:56 +0000

In a related matter, Solove wonders, “Should People’s Political Donations Be Public?“ While I tend to think they should, since fast and full disclosure would be far preferable to every other conceivable type of campaign finance reform, Solove makes a strong argument that such disclosure violates the 1st Amendment.

The first amendment gives you the right to free speech, it doesn't give you the right to keep your speech private.

By: yetanotherjohn

yetanotherjohn — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:40:31 +0000

Absent legitimate national security concerns, I am generally very leery of attempts to withhold information. As an example, Solove's data he would keep hidden helps to reveal the bias of the MSM and academia. Likewise, actions have consequences. As an employer, I would likely laugh off a 20 year old conviction for public indecency after hearing the story of skinny dipping in the university fountain. But I wouldn't laugh off the conviction for exposing himself to children 3 years ago. Others might make a different call. But saying I shouldn't have the information is making the call for me.