http://www.privateeye.com/
This is just one of themany places on can collect information about people for a price.

Take a look at the site. plug in the basic info about you and see if you show up.
The site has several packages with varying levels of informational detail about you.

Feel uncomfortable yet............................

who you are, who lives near you, possible relatives, what property you own.
The premium packages offer it all.


Is there too much freely availible information about you out there?

Should there be restrictions limiting this information with the exception of filing formally recorded information requests?

Should you be notified whenever someone makes inquiries about you?

I just looked at those websites before I came to AD to check them out and boy does it freak me out. I think the reason it is so accessible is because it probably started out a service for the police or security services, than it found its use in the private sector, and now it's clearly way too available.
Is there too much freely available information about you out there?Clearly, search on Google: Background Checks, and literally hundreds of websites appear offering everything from driving histories, to addresses, phone numbers, relatives, criminal background, divorce history, assets...all these confidential services available at prices under $100.[/B]
Should there be restrictions limiting this information with the exception of filing formally recorded information requests?Yes, I think there should be restrictions considering right now I am able to visit one of these websites and pay a relatively small sum of money to pull of loads of information on anyone I have the name, address, phone number, or birthday of. I think it should remain in the hands of the government and people should have to request the information from the government with legitimate reasons as to why they need the documents.
Should you be notified whenever someone makes inquiries about you?People definitely should be notified but I don't know if I would want to be notified because I think seeing that Joe Schmo is looking up my driving records would freak me out.

People should need clear and concise reasons for accessing this data and information, not a mere $100. I don't understand why anyone would oppose this.

Is there too much freely available information about you out there?
In nearly all cases, it is you yourself that has agreed to allowing this information to become public. You should read everything before you sign it.

Of course, I personally couldn't care less that this information is available. Who cares if someone knows what size socks I wear...

Should there be restrictions limiting this information with the exception of filing formally recorded information requests?
Ah, so to protect the privacy of one group, we should expose that of another...? I'm not against this sort of thing, but it seems to be a massive bureaucracy. Where is this information (about who is accessing what informatin) going to be kept?

Should you be notified whenever someone makes inquiries about you?
I think this would be a good idea. Similar to being rejected for credit, a letter could be sent out with each information request. There are certainly problems, however. What if you are trying to find your natural father, who you have never seen since you were given up for adoption. You know his name and maybe the city where he lives (or lived). The problem here is that people move around and sending a request may not always reach the right person.

The whole question I have about this debate is: where's the harm? I understand the concern over identity theft, but the paranoia seems a bit thick with these questions. As I said earlier, I really don't care if someone "looks me up".