DSU

"You Can Run but You Cannot Hide: Privacy and Direct Marketing Activities"

Abstract

This paper has defined consumer privacy in terms of the consumer’s ability to control the disclosure of personal, consumption-based information to third parties. The conflict over information access and control has been presented as a problem of striking a fair balance between the privacy interests of individuals and the financial interests of businesses. In the spirit of laissez-faire government, a combination of mandatory and voluntary self-regulation has been proposed (in lieu of government legislation). The self-regulation includes restrictions in four areas (release of consumption-based information; removal of names from lists; information format; censure for noncompliance) and suggests a method for encouraging compliance among direct marketers.

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