WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 23, 1994 THERAPY? Interview. page 8 This band from Belfast talks with The Link about their music and lives. ARCHIVES Why worry about Earthquakes? page 3 The first in a two part SPS Series on Earthquakes and preparedness. High Speed Modems page 6 What to buy and what to do. A tutorial. _ 000544619" ^^Info Superhighway^^ could end privacy of personal information MONTREAX (CUP) — Have you ever cies are credit reporting agencies, the two filed a tax return? Then you're in largest in Canada each possessing approx• Revenue Canada's Taxpayer Master File. imately 23 million files on Canadian citi• Applied for a passport? You're in the zens. computer memory of External Affairs. "The reports 1 have suggest credit Participated in a demonstration? You may bureau records are notoriously erroneous, be among the 54,000 countersubversion containing incorrect information," said files of the Canadian Security Intelligence Foran. "This can lead to an inability to get Service (CSIS). a loan, a mortgage, a job The possibilities Big Brother has arrived. And he's a in having an erroneous record, which is microchip. transferred to a number of other data From Statistics Canada to the Ministry bases, poses a risk for people." Although the credit agencies guarantee by Christoper Ta^or the right of an individual to review his or her personal file, Foran identified two The McGill Daily weaknesses in the system. "The theory is that you can check the of Human Resources, the estimated 2700 accuracy of the information on your file," data banks of personal information run by he said. "But not a lot of people check 160 federal agencies contain approximate• their records, and if they do they would ly 12 dossiers on every Canadian man, need an interpreter lo decode their credil woman and cbild, raising concem.s that in file. The other problem that occurs is thai the computer age, the individual's right lo credit bureau information is information privacy has become a thing of the past. they've collected from other sources. "These files contain your address, tele• They don't take any ownership responsi• phone number, Social Insurance Number, bility for the records that they keep." where you work, how long you've been Such 'records' may range from com• working there, how much you make, ments on elementary school report cards whether you're married or single, what to the reports of hired private investiga• charities you contribute to," said Sally tors. But often, said Foran, we give up this Jackson, Director of Public Affairs at the information voluntarily. Privacy Commission in Ottawa. "If you Government has privacy legislation and remarkably accurate portrait of an individ• "Look at a VISA application," he said. Stan to look at the details contained in all business doesn't. It's basically a free-for- ual's activities, lifestyle, and interests, "You may not realize it, but you've the separate files, the government knows all." from the people you call to the type of signed a pretty broad waiver of any priva• quite a bit about you." Though the information superhighway cereal you buy at the supermarket. cy rights. You've said to them, you can Given that personal information has is billed as a consumer's dream, its impli• "In the private sector there's no regula• use this information for whatever purpose become a multibil- cations in terms of tion with regards to data matching," said you want, and I can't control it. You have lion-dollar global individual privacy Brian Foran, Special Advisor to the no idea what the uses and disclosures of such information are." business,, critics Critics warn the riglit to privacy are distinctly Privacy Commissioner. "Retailers can warn the right to pri• will be relegated to horse and Orwellian. hook in with retailers [they] can hook in Another diligent record-keeper is the vacy will be relegat• RCMP, whose Canadian Police buggy status on the coming "The mam with credit agencies or insurance compa• ed to horse and nies, and can put together quite a profile, Information Centre (CPIC) contains files supertiighway. concerns are infor- buggy status on the using whatever fi-ansacdons you normally on 10 per cent of the Canadian adult pop• mation manipula• coming superhigh• perform on a daily basis." ulation. CPIC and its American counter• way. tion, information part, the NCIC system, have been criti• being used for purposes about which you "The next technology that we haven't cized for recording arrests as well as con• know nothing, or people assembling pro• INACCURATE got a hold on is the information super• victions, for occasionally omitting case files on you," said Jackson. "And because highway, die convergence of all these sys• INFORMATION developments (such as acquittals or it's an electronic system, it's all done tems," said Jackson. "The whole purpose dropped charges), and for not monitoring without your knowledge or consent." of it is the transmission of information, In many cases, personal information the hirther dissemination of the data they One concern is the phenomenon of and of course it will transport personal contained in data banks is either inaccu• provide. data matching, in which personal informa• rate, incomplete or misleading. information. The problem is that it's In the case of Michael DuCross, a tion in various data banks is combined to going to be a shared network. Particularly censured for their inaccura• make 'super-files'. This provides a continued page 12 THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE BRITISH COLUMBIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY STUDENT ASSOCIATION LINK CLASSIFIEDS LINK CLASSIFIEDS... are $5 for a 3 line ad and $1 for each line after-except employ• ment listings for which the first 3 lines are FREE. To place a classified ad contact The Global Number available Unk at 432-8935. on campus thru SA VOLUNTEER POSmONS COURSE OFFERINGS Receptionist Volunteer. An institution Study in Central Europe. University by Dave Sicinski workforce in the near future will find the for the blind requires a pleasant, friendly Credit Courses in Introductory German, Get a job, get a life, get a Global num• voice mail and fax capabilities of this and positive volunteer as a receptionist. History of Central Europe 16th to 18th ber. This is the advertising slogan being number to be an aid in presenting a pro• Commitment 4 brs/wk. For more info call Century and Politics in Western Europe used by local telecommunications compa• fessional image to potential employers. A Greater Coqultlam Volunteer Centre at taught in Germany and Austria available ny. Global Teleworks, in their campaign personal Global number is accessible 24- 524-9808 through Okanagan University College in on the BCIT campus. hoius a day, moves when you move, and Kelowna. Cost is $3,590 and covers Global Teleworks is running the mar• its fax storage and forwarding capabilities MESSAGES tuiton, air fare, accomodations in Berlin keting campaign in conjunction with the makes the tedious task of sending out a and Vienna. For students outside of Desperately searching for friends that BCIT Student Association-which will stack of resumes as quick and easy as a Kelowna, the External; Studies Program graduated from York House & now attend receive a portion of the proceeds in return phone call. will arrange billets for 2 wks spent on BCIT. Contact me ASAP. for its support. Global Teleworks will be operating a campus at Okanagan University College. Tom van Migeni The company offers a wide range of booth in the SAC on Wednesday, March For details and appUcation forms contact Grootreesdyk 23 telecommunications services that allows 2nd. Students inteiested in finding out all Dr. Maurice Williams at Okanagan 2460 Kasterlee you to integrate your telephone, cellular, about this service should visit the booth or University College, Arts Building, North Belgium fax voice messaging and paging services call 893-8030 for more information. Kelowna Campus, Kelowna BC, VIV (tel) 32 14 85 20 76 on your own personal "Global Number". 1V7. Phone: (604) 762-5445 Loc 7332. (e-mail) [email protected] BCIT students expecting to enter the Fax:(604)470-6001 CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS Friday, February 25 ' Monday, February 28 Intro to Assertiveness. Topics of Fair. Check out your lungs with discussion will include: what is spirometei^ and smoke analyzers. Pub night at the Royal (1025 94 Solutions: Student Design assertiveness?, benefits of being Get the latest info on: allergy Campus Events is a calen• Granville). 8:00pm. If you Competition in Assistive assertive, recognizing aggres• identifaction, control and treat• dar column open for the haven't experienced the Royal, Devices Application Deadline. sive/passive behaviour(s), identi• ment; and lung hazards and treat• advertisement of events and now is your chance. This is THE Looking for creative solutions to fying some areas for personal ments; BQTs work to eliminate functions on all of BClT's downtown, after-work, watering problems facing peisons with dis• assertiveness devlopment. 3:30 - and control asbestos on campus; campuses. Submissions hole. Crowds of people, a fun abilities as a marketable product. 5pm SWl Rm 2595. Pre-register respiratory safety products to try should be dropped off at The band and sardine dance floor, lots Cash prizes and awards will be at Student Services (SWl Rm and infonnation; and how to quit Link offices or sent through of dykes and everybody else. made after judging of all projects 2300) or drop in on the day. For smoking. 9am - noon. JW IngUs campus mail. Deadline for Look for the table with the dis- at an exposition at Science World. more info call Heather Hyde 432- Cafeteria.