So much of what is considered private "PII" today was considered public information only a generation ago. When I was a kid (1970s):
- Names, addresses, and phone numbers were published by the phone company in a book and given to everyone.
- Hospital admissions/discharges were published in the local newspaper.
- Social Security Number was used for everything. Many people included it on their pre-printed checks. Engraving it on valuable personal posessions was encouraged, for help identifying them if they were stolen.
None of this was considered a real violation of privacy, or at least I never heard anyone really express any concerns about it. Unlisted phone numbers were a thing, but very few people had them and it cost extra to have one. Most people wanted to be in the phone book so others could contact them.
I guess the big thing that's changed is identity theft is now a thing. That's because it's become possible to "identify" yourself by providing enough information about yourself without actually being physically present. Also online harassment/doxxing. All of which is only a problem because everything and everyone is online now. That is the real problem, not the information itself. Of course there's no putting the genie back in the bottle.
> None of this was considered a real violation of privacy, or at least I never heard anyone really express any concerns about it. Unlisted phone numbers were a thing, but very few people had them and it cost extra to have one. Most people wanted to be in the phone book so others could contact them.
Yes, and I think it was wrong to do so.
I think it's ridiculous to be worried about websites tracking one's noncorporeal identity tied to an integer on the internet compared to that everyone in my sport's club can easily retrieve my physical place of residence.
- Names, addresses, and phone numbers were published by the phone company in a book and given to everyone.
- Hospital admissions/discharges were published in the local newspaper.
- Social Security Number was used for everything. Many people included it on their pre-printed checks. Engraving it on valuable personal posessions was encouraged, for help identifying them if they were stolen.
None of this was considered a real violation of privacy, or at least I never heard anyone really express any concerns about it. Unlisted phone numbers were a thing, but very few people had them and it cost extra to have one. Most people wanted to be in the phone book so others could contact them.
I guess the big thing that's changed is identity theft is now a thing. That's because it's become possible to "identify" yourself by providing enough information about yourself without actually being physically present. Also online harassment/doxxing. All of which is only a problem because everything and everyone is online now. That is the real problem, not the information itself. Of course there's no putting the genie back in the bottle.