Thursday, March 04, 2004

Article: Senators: Hands Off Kids' Data

According to the great folks at Wired News, two US senators have proposed legislation to outlaw trading in marketing lists about children. This is a laudable initiative, but it also very interesting to hear about the kids of marketing lists that are presently being compiled by marketers.

Wired News: Senators: Hands Off Kids' Data
02:00 AM Mar. 04, 2004 PT

"Two lawmakers introduced a bill in the U.S. Senate Wednesday to prohibit corporations from selling the personal information of children under the age of 16 without their parents' consent.

Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) introduced the Children's Listbroker Privacy Act to limit the sale of personally identifiable information for purposes of marketing to children, as part of a larger package of legislation intended to help parents combat commercial attacks on their children.

Companies spend about $12 billion annually on marketing aimed at children, often using targeted lists from brokers who sell data not only on teens but on preschoolers as well. The lists can include a child's name, address, age, ethnicity, religious affiliation, sports activities, hobbies and family income level."

People are often surprised to hear about the detail and information in marketing lists. Marketer websites, such as that of Dunhills, are often very eye-opening. Why settle for just 6.2 Million Canadian e-mail addresses when you can get a list of incontients or the chapped of lip!

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