The company announced its newest front-line Pentium III processor would contain a hardware code which would identify users to Internet companies. An outcry from privacy advocates and legislators forced the company to modify the product to disable the feature. Immediate reaction from consumers and privacy advocates caused the company to announce it was a programming error, and that all such data would be wiped from company databases. The company promised a review of its privacy practices. The quest for greater privacy is a natural reaction to the information age.
Privacy is a basic human right that is being reasserted.
Consumers are demanding a choice in how information is used. In fact, most U.S. businesses have paid little attention to personal privacy. Consumers are sending a loud and clear wake-up call. The Internet holds tremendous potential for reducing healthcare costs and opening the door for patients to take a more active role in the administration of their healthcare. Unfortunately, the same systems which streamline the processing of healthcare information and afford easy, timely access to personal health information, also open new doors to the misuse of sensitive information.