Ease, fear, bartered rewards and gradual desensitization are used to eliminate individual privacy. Almost everyone is data matched in systems that contain errors and threats. Surveillance, the instrument of oppression, is within the power of business and governmental authorities. Personal data is a unit of exchange that is openly monitored and used to increase power. Modern existence data includes name, home addresses, pictures, social security numbers, medical treatment, and insurance records.
Information is obtained voluntarily, involuntarily, under duress, and fraudulently.
The sources include public records, quasi-public records, marketing data, business records, financial records, personal records, and Internet use. The data can often be accessed, on-line for free or subscription, independent of location or authority. A person's level of control is poor to moderate. But, authorities are using shaping behavior control principles to sell equally intrusive programs. Birthrights are being surrendered in the name of access to information, accuracy of research and statistics, decreased cost of administration, discounts and prizes, ease of use, integrity of identification and information, public safety and decency, speed of service and benefits delivery, technical security, and time savings.