To address the telephone privacy issue, I introduced the Telephone Call Privacy Act last fall. My legislation would give consumers the power to control whether their phone company can use or sell their personal phone call records. Accessing our telephone records is only one of many ways companies and individuals learn some of our most personal information. Almost every time we surf the Internet, someone is tracking our movements and could even be profiling us. Maybe they're doing it to make our experience better, but too often they are motivated by profit, which comes at the expense of our privacy.
Most people are unaware that a third party is collecting information about their Web surfing habits.
These profiles can determine the quality of services a person receives, or even to deny the person crucial services such as health insurance or financial assistance. Several Internet privacy bills have been introduced in Congress. This law would require that consumers be notified when information is collected about them and be given the choice to decide if that information can be used or sold. Individuals would also have the opportunity to verify the accuracy of the information collected about them. I believe that consumers, not dot-com companies, should have the power to control the use and disclosure of buying habits, financial and medical records, and other personal information.