Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Since profiling enables the identification or lo-
cation of potential customers and their medical
conditions, it is also being used in developing
more individualised or personalised marketing
strategies. However, it could potentially violate
right to privacy (Davis, 2003). Data profiling may
lead to unnecessary discrimination. For instance
different people could be offered different prices
based on assumed characteristics of illnesses or
selected patients could be denied of opportunities
of purchasing products or services that are made
available for others. Additionally when data are
collected from various sources, the data could be
incomplete or irrelevant in relation to what the
profile intended to use or represent. Therefore
it would not be reasonable to rely on databases
which are built up based on assumption and prob-
abilities (Davis, 2003).
Cookies are also used to invade privacy of e-
health system users. The cookies collect user's web
browsing information and store the information
onto the user's hard drive. The information will
be sent automatically or retrieved by the web sites
to track their online activities in order to build a
market profile of computer users. Some compa-
nies even trade the information as commodity to
other marketing companies to target individuals
with customized advertisements tailored to their
specific interests and needs (Sessler, 2005).
In the suit of Federal Trade Commission of
US v. Microsoft , the Microsoft's Passport Service
came under attack. This service aims to make
online shopping easier by storing passwords
and credit card numbers. However, the service
by Microsoft did not protect its users' personal
information sufficiently, and that the service
tracked the user's web-browsing habits without
their knowledge. Microsoft agreed to enhance its
security system for the service but the system will
undergo independent review every two years, for
a period of 20 years (The Star-in Tech, 2002).
In another case of Universal Image Inc v. Ya-
hoo, Inc , the plaintiff applies for an order declaring
whether the exercise of Yahoo and its subsidiary
collecting information from Internet user using
cookies violates the law. According to the court,
the activity does violate the laws as it enable the
defendant and its subsidiary to watch, spy, con-
duct surveillance analyze the habits, inclinations,
preferences and tastes, and monitor “identified”
persons visiting its web sites without consent,
agreement or permission of users (Abu Bakar &
Hajar, 2002). Once the data or information was ac-
quired using varies technologies, the data becomes
the property of the companies or institutions. It
can be stored, manipulated, and sold without pa-
tients' knowledge or consent. When DoubleClick
acquired Abacus (a direct marketing company),
there was public outrage about the possibility of
breach of information privacy. Despite this, the
acquisition went ahead and DoubleClick began
combining and cross referencing personal infor-
mation from the web browsing habits of the users
with the database of marketing firm. Following
the continuous pressure from the users, the state
government and the Federal Trade Commission,
DoubleClick had suspended its matching practices
in March 2000 (Reidenberg, 2001). As public
and the regulators know the intended collection
and use of the information, they had forced the
company to abandon such collection and use. If
it is done without the knowledge of these people
there is no chance of knowing what information
is being collected used and misused.
Selling of private data or information is be-
coming one of the hot businesses. Especially
company's database with e-health information
can be considered as an asset for sale in case of
liquidation. Breaches may also occur when the
companies or institutions obtain more information
than they need to meet consumer expectation. They
may manipulate and transfer the potential informa-
tion to other companies or institutions which may
use it improperly, unfairly or for purposes other
than those consented to by the individuals. This
phenomenon has created concerns of information
privacy of e-health consumers. The concern of
privacy abuse especially personal data is having a
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