
Data brokers won’t even tell the government how it uses, sells your data - rosser
http://arstechnica.com/business/2013/12/data-brokers-wont-even-tell-the-government-how-it-uses-sells-your-data/
======
anigbrowl
In Europe you have the right to make such firms disclose all data that they
have on you, and even to make them delete it after a certain length of time.

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Protection_Directive](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Protection_Directive)
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Data_Protection_Regulat...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Data_Protection_Regulation)

~~~
cinquemb
_However, European privacy directives contain explicit exemptions for many
governmental organizations, including the EU itself, national security,
taxation, and policing, and would not have protected citizens against the
abuses suffered at the hands of fascist or communist governments_

It's interesting to compare: in the US, corporate databases == good ,
government databases == bad, and it appears the exact opposite in the EU. Then
there's this:

 _EU directives are addressed to the member states, and aren 't legally
binding for citizens in principle. The member states must transpose the
directive into internal law. Directive 95/46/EC on the protection of personal
data had to be transposed by the end of 1998. All member states have enacted
their own data protection legislation._

Which just makes me think from where we are today, neither approach seems to
be ok for the avg person, on top of the behaviors and incentives for
individuals/companies/governments aren't lining up. What's going to give for
something to fall which ever way (or is there really anything to give way at
all)?

~~~
ams6110
The problem is we're also learning corporate databases == government
databases.

~~~
cinquemb
Seeing as corporations are pretty much legal entities created by states,
(whether they be the US or EU states, or anywhere else for that matter) which
allow for privileges for those who run them based on the state where
incorporated, that doesn't seem to change the status quo. To me, that just
makes this all look like some kind of grandstanding to placate those on the
sidelines, and if we are honest with ourselves, most of whom will continue to
use (and be used by) such services which leads me back to my question…

------
toufka
Said hearing can be watched here [1]. The industry speaks around the 30min
mark.

[1]
[http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/MarketingC](http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/MarketingC)

------
dredmorbius
I'm increasingly coming of the viewpoint that rather than only obscure data,
people need to start taking active measures to confound the record.

And sue for misuses / discrimination.

