More on Minnesota's privacy politics

I've blogged recently about the current debate over privacy and identity theft in Minnesota. Here's some more on what's going on in this midwest state:

Governor Pawlenty is proposing to use biometrics to make drivers licenses more secure, which Attorney General Hatch wants the state to stop selling DMV records in bulk. The Governor is also proposing other reforms:

These include stiffening penalties for unauthorized access to personal data, going after hackers who secretly gain access to private data but don’t steal, making it unlawful to use encryption to hide a crime.

Ranging afield, Pawlenty argued that current state data practice law is flawed and upsidedown— data presumed private unless deemed public, he explained.

I find this fascinating to watch. This situation is the first time that I can think of that privacy and the protection of personal information has been a significant issue in a political debate. (Both are running for the governorship.) For some of the most recent news, see: Minnesota needs to do more to crack down on identity theives, says Gov. Pawlenty.

[Privacy] :: [Identity Theft] :: [Politics] :: [Minnesota]