U.S. vs. UBS: A Fight Over Secret Swiss Bank Accounts

Privacy showdown.

I love it when the US flexes diplomatic muscle. This, however, is not the proper purpose or venue. The US can't win this. Obama needs to reign in the Treasury. If the accounts were in the US, the IRS likley would not be able to get the data with the same methods.

U.S. vs. UBS: A Fight Over Secret Swiss Bank Accounts


Individuals the world over - including in the US - are siding with Switzerland 9-1. It's not the way to keep improving our standing in the world.

If the US has the names, they can pressure the individuals by other means, as we all know. They are instead looking for UBS to do their work for them. Treasury boys need to do their own homework, stick to legal methods. Yes, even if there are tax evaders in the bunch (which has yet to be determined).

Privacy breach shocker | Alberta | News | Edmonton Sun

Article:

Edmonton Sun

The liability of holding this information on local hard drives far outweighs any benefit. The people who's information has been breached can be blackmailed, fired, divorced or worse when this information goes to those in their communities. The class actions will cost American companies, many of which have had the same problem and not let it hit the news, billions.

Health service providers are notoriously cavalier in the security of data and in HIPAA practices. Data security is everything here, and they's better take notice.

Court: IP Addresses Are Not 'Personally Identifiable' Information 07/07/2009

MediaPost Publications Court: IP Addresses Are Not 'Personally Identifiable' Information 07/07/2009

Watch your back! Ip addresses are now considered public. The judge who decided this probably does not realize that anyone now can pull his IP address off of his email, and come to his home.

Is it Personally Identifiable Information then?

If you would rather mask your IP address, go to http://jonathanwarren.wordpress.com/.

Google Street View Pitfalls

Google's Streetview product, a free service seems to be more controversial in Europe, where the dangers are more commonly understood:

http://www.sbpost.ie/post/pages/p/story.aspx-qqqt=IRELAND-qqqm=news-qqqid=42911-qqqx=1.asp

Want to scare yourself? Google your home phone number, in this format: xxx-xxx-xxx. See if it produces your address anywhere. If it does, google the address. Check Street view.

A single woman showed me how her un-listed phone number directs anyone who cares directly to her home. It also showed her car in the driveway.

The liability here is tremendous. Not only is her phone number on the FTC do-not-call list, but combining it with such information as a photo of her home may be tantamount to trading in her Personally Identifiable Information, an FTC violation.

Eliminate these risks at http://jonathanwarren.wordpress.com/2009/06/30/privacy-for-high-profile-and-politically-exposed-individuals/

Wife of Sir John Sawers, the future head of MI6, in Facebook security alert - Times Online

Wife of Sir John Sawers, the future head of MI6, in Facebook security alert - Times Online

Unbelievable! Sir John and his wife could use a briefing from http://jonathanwarren.wordpress.com/2009/06/30/privacy-for-high-profile-and-politically-exposed-individuals/