DATE=3/11/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-39220
TITLE=PROTECTING PRIVACY
BYLINE=LINDA CASHDAN
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  PUBLIC CONCERN ABOUT THE LOSS OF INDIVIDUAL PRIVACY IS 
RISING IN THE UNITED STATES, AND FOR GOOD REASON:  VOA ECONOMICS 
CORRESPONDENT LINDA CASHDAN REPORTS PRIVACY ADVOCATES SAY IT IS 
MORE DIFFICULT FOR AMERICANS TO KEEP THE PERSONAL DETAILS OF 
THEIR LIVES OUT OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN THAN IT IS FOR CITIZENS IN 
ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.

TEXT:  WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW THE JOB HISTORY, ADDRESS, SOCIAL 
SECURITY NUMBER, BUYING HABITS, OR PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION OF ANY
U-S CITIZEN?  IF SO, SAYS WILLIAM HUBBARTT, THE AUTHOR OF A NEW 
BOOK ON WORKPLACE PRIVACY, IT SHOULD NOT BE TOO DIFFICULT TO FIND
OUT.  

THAT'S BECAUSE THE UNITED STATES IS THE MOST TECHNOLOGICALLY 
ADVANCED DATA COLLECTOR IN THE WORLD, MR. HUBBARTT SAYS, AND 
THERE ARE MANY CUSTOMERS FOR THE INFORMATION THAT IS COLLECTED.  

WITH HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS SOARING, HE SAYS, EMPLOYERS WANT TO 
KNOW ABOUT EXISTING ILLNESSES BEFORE THEY HIRE SOMEONE.   IN 
ADDITION, MR. HUBBARTT SAYS, U-S CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS THAT WERE 
DESIGNED TO PROTECT WORKERS HAVE PROMPTED EMPLOYERS TO TAKE STEPS
TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST FUTURE LAWSUITS.  THAT OFTEN 
INVOLVES USING MODERN TECHNOLOGY TO SPY ON WORKERS' PERSONAL 
HABITS.

                     // BEG HUBBARTT ACT // 

         BECAUSE OF THE EMPLOYER'S CONCERN FOR BEING SUED FOR  
         SEXUAL HARASSMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, EMPLOYERS TEND TO TRY TO
         LIMIT EMPLOYEE DATING, AND EMPLOYEES REACTION IS, "HEY, 
         IF I WANT TO DATE SOMEBODY, I WANT TO DATE SOMEBODY!"  
         BUT THE EMPLOYER'S CONCERN IS "WELL, IF THE TWO OF YOU 
         ARE DATING AND THEN YOU BREAK UP AND YOU CLAIM SEXUAL 
         HARASSMENT, THEN I, THE EMPLOYER, AM DRAWN INTO THIS AND
         SO IT'S SAFER FOR ME TO TRY TO CONTROL IT BY TRYING TO 
         PREVENT IT."

                        // END 1ST ACT //

DAVID BANISAR, A LAWYER FOR A PRIVACY ADVOCACY GROUP IN 
WASHINGTON BLAMES THE U-S LEGAL SYSTEM TOO, BUT FOR A VERY 
DIFFERENT REASON.  MR. BANISAR SAYS U-S LAW DOES NOT ADEQUATELY 
PROTECT CITIZENS. 

                      // BEG BANISAR ACT //

         UNLIKE THE EUROPEAN UNION, JAPAN, THAILAND, HONG KONG, 
         AND CANADA, WE DON'T HAVE ANY OVERARCHING LAW THAT 
         PROTECTS INDIVIDUALS FROM HAVING THEIR PRIVACY INVADED. 

                        // END 2ND ACT //

MR. BANISAR SAYS OTHER FACTORS THAT ARE ERODING U-S PERSONAL 
PRIVACY INCLUDE THE U-S GOVERNMENT'S DESIRE TO HAVE QUICK ACCESS 
TO PERSONAL DATA IN FIGHTING CRIME AND COMBATTING FRAUD, AND THE 
PRIVATE SECTOR'S DESIRE TO MAKE MONEY.  HE SAYS THE BUYING AND 
SELLING OF PERSONAL INFORMATION HAS BECOME A MULTIBILLION DOLLAR 
BUSINESS -- AND NOT JUST FOR U-S FIRMS.  

                      // BEG BANISAR ACT //

         THE PHILIPPINES, FOR EXAMPLE, MAKES QUITE A BIT OF MONEY
         OUT OF TAKING PHYSICAL RECORDS, SUCH AS YOUR MEDICAL 
         RECORDS, AND TYPING THEM IN (TO THE COMPUTER), BECAUSE 
         LABOR IS VERY CHEAP THERE.  SO (U-S) COMPANIES WILL SEND
         CONTAINER LOADS OF MEDICAL RECORDS TO THE PHILIPPINES TO
         HAVE THEM TYPED IN AND THEN HAVE THEM SENT BACK TO THE 
         UNITED STATES IN ELECTRONIC FORM.

                        // END 3RD ACT //

PUBLIC CONCERN HAS GENERATED MORE THAN 40 DIFFERENT PRIVACY 
PROTECTION BILLS IN THE U-S CONGRESS.  HOWEVER, MR. BONISAR SAYS,
THE FORCES AGAINST SUCH MEASURES -- EMPLOYERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT 
AGENCIES, MARKETING FIRMS -- WILL PROBABLY PREVENT ANY OF THE 
BILLS FROM PASSING.

HOWEVER, HE SAYS, A NEW PRIVACY DIRECTIVE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION 
STIPULATES  THAT DATA PROCESSING FIRMS FROM OTHER NATIONS WILL 
HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THEY CAN PROTECT PERSONAL DATA OR LOSE OUT ON
LUCRATIVE EUROPEAN CONTRACTS.  THAT, MR. BONISAR SAYS, COULD MAKE
U-S MULTINATIONALS LIKE I-B-M WORK TO ASSURE PRIVACY PROTECTION 
IN THE UNITED STATES..

                      // BEG BONISAR ACT //

         (U-S) INDUSTRIES ARE RECOGNIZING THAT WITH THE EUROPEAN 
         UNION DIRECTIVE, THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
         OTHERWISE, THE UNITED STATES IS GOING TO GET CUT OUT OF 
         A LOT OF VERY VALUABLE FLOWS OF INFORMATION.

                      // END BONISAR ACT //

IRONICALLY, DAVID BONISAR SAYS, IT MAY BE MORE LIKELY THE IMPETUS
FOR U-S PRIVACY PROTECTION WILL COME FROM THE NEW EUROPEAN 
PRIVACY DIRECTIVE THAN FROM ANY U-S LAW.  (SIGNED)

NEB/LC/KL

11-Mar-98 10:16 AM EST (1516 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.