One, a convicted rapist, then sent mysterious threatening letters to several of those who had returned the questionnaire. Sometimes information in a credit database is incorrect and then repeatedly accessed by those performing credit checks on you. It is clear that while a company having information about you can be helpful both to the company and you, there should be limits upon distribution of non-public information. This attitude is not likely to prevail. With scores of companies gathering information for sale to others, our personal information is profiled, then placed on lists which are sold, shared, and disseminated without notice to, or input from us.
Insurance companies contract with third party firms to investigate the physicians they empanel.
Discussions are needed to debate the proper balance between privacy, freedom of speech and freedom of information. Concern for online privacy led to the Federal Trade Commission convening a recent conference to discuss methods to protect privacy. Congress is also trying to keep on top of this issue and is discussing what limits should be placed on data gathering of Internet users.