Book Review:
Special Section on
Computer Security and Privacy

By NANCY ALLISON
Boston Chapter

Database Nation: The Death of Privacy in the 21st Century,
by Simson Garfinkel

O'Reilly & Associates, 2001

A thorough examination of current privacy problems, with believable speculations about near-term, future privacy violations.

How bad can the abuse of privacy get? Read Simson Garfinkel and you'll have a pretty good idea. Garfinkel reviews privacy issues in light of these issues: due process under law; fallible biometrics, data capturing, electronic evesdropping, misuse of medical records, marketing based on collected personal data, sale of personal information, abuse of genetic data, abuse of intellectual property, and, presciently, law enforcement's violations of privacy in the pursuit of terrorists. Garfinkle also discusses the possibility that "intelligent computers - machines that can use human-like reasoning powers combined with blinding calculating speed" to predict our actions and manipulate us.

People sometimes declare, "I don't care about electronic surveillance. I have nothing to hide." If you suspect that the issue might be more complicated than that, Database Nation will give you the factual basis you need to support your dissenting opinion. Garfinkle also speculates about logical future extensions of current technology. His point: abuse of data will only get worse, unless an educated citizenry demands that legal and technical protections be put in place.