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EDITORIAL: You gave away privacy
Oct 31, 2008 (The Monterey County Herald - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
It's dinner time. The phone rings. It's Barbara Boxer. On tape.
Because you're a good Democrat, she is sure you would like to hear her thoughts on Proposition 11, whichever one that is.
Or you're trying to download photos and you keep getting interrupted. E-mails from city council candidates. E-mails about ballot measures. And what's this? An e-mail from Barbara Boxer!
Loud enough for others to hear, you ask yourself, "How in the heck did they get my number and e-mail address? "
Here's the answer.
They got them from you.
Maybe not directly, but the politicians and their parties probably got your e-mail address and your phone number from the nice folks down at the county Elections Department, who got them from you.
If you are like a surprising number of people, you likely included your e-mail address and phone number on the form when you registered to vote.
It wasn't required, but you did it to help the elections people communicate with you. It seemed like a good idea at the time.
The problem, for some more than others, is that your voter registration information is public record.
No, it's not entirely open to anyone and everyone. Some stranger can't just walk in and get your address.
But the political parties, candidates and others with legitimate need for such information can pay for access to the voter rolls, including names, political parties, birth dates, addresses, e-mail addresses, phone numbers and voting records. No,
not who you voted for, but a record of which elections you voted in and which ones you didn't.
The politicos have to sign formal pledges not to sell or otherwise abuse the information, and they take that seriously. Some more than others.
They're supposed to use the info only for legitimate political purposes. Like interrupting your dinner.
Fortunately, unlike so many problems, this one has a solution.
If you call the Elections Department, 796-1499, and ask nicely, they'll scratch your e-mail address and phone number right off the forms.
Just don't do it today. They're awfully busy. In case you hadn't heard, there's an election coming up.
To see more of the Monterey County Herald, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go
to http://www.montereyherald.com. Copyright (c) 2008, The Monterey County
Herald, Calif. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For
reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or
847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group
Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
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