Assignment 2 - Legal 500

Assignment 2 - The Value of Digital Privacy in an Information Technology Age

Michelle D. Payne

Professor Diana Smith, Esq.

Legal 500 - Law, Ethics and Corporate Governance

October 29, 2012

List and describe at least three (3) technologies that allow an individual to research citizen's private data. The technologies that will be discussed are: google.com, zabasearch.com, facebook.com and intelius.com.

Google.com is more than a search engine; it is much more. It offers a whole spectrum of search tools that one can use to find people on the web. These include finding a phone number, tracking down maps and images. Information is given by citizens opening up an account. It is the basic information such as name, address, phone, email or credit card number. Information is shared with companies, organizations, and individuals outside of Google with consent. Data searched on the web is stored to improve and maintain security of their systems. Government agencies request information from Google about users and products.

Besides Google, there is another website used to look up people's information; zabasearch.com is a search engine that is backed by intelius.com. This is a free people search that uncovers public information such as age, places of known last residencies. The information found is listed publicly in sources such as property records, Yellow Pages, White Pages, marketing forms, sweepstakes entries, social networking profiles, personal sites, voter registration records, and more. If a person would like to have further information such as a background checks, phone numbers, and addresses will have to be paid for.

Google.com, Zabasearch.com are two good sources to look people up, however there is another source; Facebook.com. Like other social networks, the site allows its users to create a profile page and forge online links with friends and acquaintances. It has distinguished itself from rivals, partly by imposing a spartan design ethos and...