Rest in peace Amanda. Bullied Teen Commits Suicide After Posting Last-Ditch Cry for Help on YouTube

[Gormy Cuss]

49. I don't think that the fear of making the internet less free is a valid argument against privacy law

What our 'freedom' from privacy laws allows now is for private companies to compile and sell incredibly detailed data profiles, for individuals to do the same for stalking or bullying and we have no right to access or control the information disseminated about us. Brandeis is rolling in his grave.

I've written privacy controls as part of work product. I'm not naive about it. I've handled sensitive data and signed many non-disclosure agreements understanding that at a minimum I would be fired and in some cases violation of the confidentiality would land me in jail. It's a powerful disincentive.

Remember when HIPAA passed and there was all sorts of hand-wringing about how it went too far? I do. Fact of the matter is all that it did was institute reasonable control of medical privacy for individuals.
If the public actually clamored for it, reasonable controls could be instituted on electronic media. It's not an all or nothing situation, it's not too late to control the use of data that is already out there, if people just cared about it.