DISQUS

Higgy · 2 years ago

It is a very scary topic to think about privacy. Since 9/11, many people are more aware of privacy; however, I'm not sure much has been done concerning the release of information as you have detailed in this blog entry. I know that while in college, there sure seemed to be a lot more times that I had to show my student ID to get basic information after 9/11.

Quentin · 2 years ago

I'm not sure how this is different than materials that were always available in public databases?

Quentin · 2 years ago

Hi Vicki,

You may want to also check out sites like www.pipl.com for public records, that are available without having to pay.

http://www.pipl.com/search/?FirstName=Vicki&LastName=Davis&City=Camilla&State=GA&Country=US&CategoryID=2&Interface=3

Take Care

Quentin

Jennifer K. Lubke · 2 years ago

These issues can be scary, but as educators we should not overplay that angle. We should use current events and the rise of companies like Intelius to stimulate discussion and engage kids in critical evaluation of media, technology, all of it.

Prompting your students to deconstruct the photograph -- what a great exercise in critical literacy with the added benefit of raising awareness about Internet ethics, safety, privacy, etc.!

I'm an English teacher and immediately dystopian novels come to mind -- certainly 1984 and Brave New World but also M.T. Anderson's 2002 young adult novel, Feed. Because of some language, it would be ideal for upperlevel secondary students.

Using literature as a springboard for self-examination and critiquing contemporary society is not in itself a new idea. But there sure are a lot of new and exciting discussions to be had based on the utility, accessibility, and invasive (and, yes, sometimes "scary") nature of all this new technology.

Durff · 2 years ago

Not comforting at all. This makes the teaching of ethical behavior ever more urgent!

Vicki A. Davis · 2 years ago

Quentin-

It is a scary combination of public records and things that aren't public -- they actually negotiated to buy 50 million cell phone numbers and are going to purchase another 20 million numbers -- so yes, there is public information but from what I've read they are buying up private information that you've unknowingly given to companies who sell it -- that combination is what makes it a bit too scary to me.

Higgy-
We're more concerned about security so we're giving up a bit of our privacy -- I think a discussion about who has our information needs to be happening. I have to wonder =- how many of the predatory crimes we see are because of myspace and how many because information is so readily available like this.

Jennifer-
Yes, we must always empower our students with the ability to analyze and take a look at things and the student's comments were very insightful. I know that it makes them think twice about putting in all that information that websites ask for -- and I hope it does!

Durff-- I feel the same as you -- ethics belongs squarly in school.

Anonymous · 2 years ago

I got a slightly different answer about removing yourself:

Subject: How do I remove my information from your site?

Email Response from our customer service team:
In order for Intelius to ‘opt out’ your public information from being viewable on the Intelius website, we require faxed proof of identity. Proof of identity can be a state issued ID card or driver’s license. If you are faxing a copy of your driver’s license, cross out the photo and the driver’s license number. We only need to see the name, address and date of birth.

Please fax information to our customer service department at 425-974-6194.

If you are not comfortable doing this, you can send us a notarized form proving your identity and we will be glad to remove this public information.

** Please note removing the data here does not prevent public records from sending us new information in the future. To permanently have your records sealed, you will need to contact your county’s records department.


Sincerely,
Intelius Customer Service


However, it's probably pointless as there will just be another web site that takes its place in the future. Zabasearch.com is another one, for example.

The public record has always been public, it's just the internet has made it much easier to find information because you don't have to go anywhere.

profv · 2 years ago

Question: Are all of the officers and employees of the company listed on the website? It seems that if they are legit in wanting to provide information about others, they should open themselves up to the same potential intrusion. In addition, I wonder about the legality of posting information such as social security numbers. It is my understanding that some data is security sensitive and not ALL information is accessible through the Freedom of information act. This is why schools needed to stop using social security numbers as id numbers. Certainly at the university level, even as a professor I cannot let anyone know if a student is in my class without that student's permission. So where are these "open" sources of "public" information? I think there needs to be more clarification (ask you school attorney for example) and we should be writing congress to make sure there is a balance between information public entities need to know, information the individual member of the public can access, and what "for-profit" organizations and entities have access to.

Anonymous · 2 years ago

Two points of clarification for the sake of an informed discussion that doesn't veer off into the hysterical:

No social security numbers are EVER sold or displayed on Intelius' site. SSNs are protected information and cannot be purchased. Again, SSN info is NOT EVER SOLD AT INTELIUS.

Mobile phone numbers that consumers have used as their sole number (on, for example, applications for permits or property sales or purchases) have made their way into public records, thus making them searchable and not "private".

Vicki A. Davis · 2 years ago

Anon --
I looked at it again -- perhaps it doesn't sell ssn's but it does allow you to LOOK UP by ssn.

I'll check back. I do however maintain that if someone runs the check, I have a right to know it. Info is too easy to get.

Anonymous · 2 years ago

Correct -- you can search by SSN, but the info returned isn't sensitive or identified by the government as protected -- it's basic public records info, which has been publicly available (for free in almost every county courthouse in the country and elsewhere) for decades.

Quentin -- I am in agreement with you. THis info has been available for decades. The major difference here is that society has changed, as has our primary communication tool. Where as it used to be connected to a wall, it's now cordless and cellular, which means we now have a whole new way we need to be able to locate our friends and old contacts when they move or our contact info gets old.

And frankly, I am glad to have an opportunity to research when I see a number I don't recognize repeatedly on my and my spouse's cell phone (or, i imagine if I was a parent, I'd like to know if a number I didn't recognize was repeatedly calling my child).

If unwanted people are calling me or my children and don't have to identify themselves, why should I have to tell them when I use a tool to discover who they are?

Georgia · 2 years ago

Something to consider: protecting public information, as you suggest, the same way medical info is protected would mean that criminal records of individuals would be under lock and key.

Long ago this info was made public to empower consumers with the ability to research people in their worlds (which today means in their childrens' world, in the online dating world, etc.).

Are you willing to sacrifice that tool in order to keep an old friend from calling your cell phone after you move or change your number or they lose it?

I don't think I am. I wonder what your students would think.

Vicki A. Davis · 2 years ago

I find it interesting that those most in favor of the ability to find out anything they can about you do not have hyperlinks to profiles here or any information -- either they are anonymous or a private profile. You are already keeping people from searching you by hiding some information, at least on blogger.

I for one, do not want to have to pay $49.99 or even $8 each time I get a call from someone I don't know.

I do, however, want to prevent myself (or my daughter) from being stalked. I do advocate for public criminal records and am not advocating that this information go private (if you'll read my later blog posts), only that when someone pays to receive my profile that I am notified of the same information about them or at least that they ran the search.

I think this is only fair. Such a tool as this could work hand in hand to victimize as well as protect.

As a woman who has been stalked, and solved the problem with a change of address -- this is very scary to me. How do you answer that? And the photos on the front of this website are certainly a leaning in that direction.

And whether or not we agree or disagree with such a way to search -- we all MUST agree that we are only being responsible when we show students that they CAN be searched in this way and methods to protect themselves.

Anonymous · 2 years ago

Check out following two rad scary websites:

http://www.USPublicRecords.com

http://www.BackgroundCheckDirectory.com

M. Jones

Quentin · 2 years ago

In Ontario (Canada)all educators records are public - through the Ontario College of Teachers.

http://www.oct.ca/PublicRegister/Default.aspx?lang=en-CA

Just another public database to add to the growing collection.

Anonymous · 2 years ago

Here is another people search web site to opt out of:

PeopleFinders.com

How do I remove myself from these records? Top of Page

We value your privacy and, upon request, can block your records from being shown in many, but not all, of our search results. To do so, you should contact us by writing a letter giving us your:

1. First name
2. Last name
3. Middle initial
4. Aliases and A.K.A.'s
5. Complete current address
6. Complete former addresses going back 20 years
7. Date of Birth - including month, day, and year

It is also very helpful to include a print out of the records that you wish to have suppressed.

Send this letter to:
Opt-Out/PeopleFinders.com
1821 Q Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

Please also enclose your email address or a self address stamped envelope and we will provide record of the records being suppressed.

This information will be kept confidential and is used to ensure complete suppression of your records.

link: http://www.peoplefinders.com/help/default.aspx#26

Glenn · 2 years ago

Hey,

You may also want to check out
http://www.trace-a-phone-number.com

-Glenn

Cell Phone Trace · 1 year ago

I think it's okay to be "open" about your affairs and allow background checks and reverse phone lookups on yourself. After all - if you've done nothing wrong, what have you got to hide??

Vicki A. Davis · 1 year ago

@Cell Phone Trace-

I have nothing to hide, however it is obvious that you have never been stalked... I have.

When one is being stalked, such information is not only unwelcome but dangerous. We need to protect children and the unwary.

Live Lead Transfer · 6 months ago

nice post