FTC: Consumer Privacy Comments Concerning Dial Services, Inc.--P974806 DIAL SERVICES, INC. Post Office Box 517 June 25, 1997 Secretary, Federal Trade Commission
Dear Mr. Secretary: In response to the Commission’s request for additional comments following the hearing held June 10, 1997, I, as a licensed, bonded, and insured private investigator am a regular user of public and nonpublic records (such as credit headers), and support the proposition of self regulation. In Georgia, investigators/detectives is an industry that is already regulated by State government, which requires licensing and bonding. The data we regularly access is provided to us with specific mandates for legality and confidentiality. We are required to maintain a high degree of accuracy in our reports due to the issues we deal with on behalf of our clients, who are lawyers, corporations, the courts, and even to the public. This data has a beneficial use and need in society, allowing for protection of lives, prevent fraud, and bring families together. A free flow of information is essential to support commerce and support our judicial system. By keeping this information open, allows for public resources without looking to government for help. Further regulation would hamper those private resources. To have the targets of our investigations able to browse around in our inquiries and data, or opt out of the databases that are private and public would be the death of our industry and freedom. Much of our focus is accessing this information on behalf of our clients is the prevention of wrongdoing and protection of fraud, which are the real tests of the use of this data. Privacy protection can be managed through our industries’ self-regulation of uses and distribution. Our industry had stated a willingness and desire to self-regulate. We must have the opportunity to self-regulate and welcome the government’s help in enforcing the rules through the industries’ efforts. I ask that you support self-regulation and work with the industry to successfully bring about policies and procedures that we can all live with in free society. Sincerely, DIAL SERVICES, INC. Carolyn TyrrellC. B. Tyrrell CBT/cbb |