A law is set to take effect in Georgia Thursday that requires sex offenders to hand over Internet passwords, screen names and e-mail addresses.
Georgia joins a small band of states complying with guidelines in a 2006 federal law requiring authorities to track Internet addresses of sex offenders. But the state is among the first to take the extra step of forcing its 16,000 offenders to turn in their passwords as well.
A federal judge ruled in September that a similar law in Utah violated the privacy rights of an offender who challenged it. That ruling applied to only one offender who had a military conviction
on sex offenses but was never in Utah's court or prison system.
No one in Georgia has challenged the law yet. But critics say it threatens the privacy of sex offenders and places an additional burden on law enforcement officials.
State Sen. Cecil Staton, who wrote the bill, says the measure is designed to keep the Internet safe for children. Authorities could use the passwords and other information to make sure offenders aren't stalking children online or chatting with them about off-limits topics.
Click here for more GPB News coverage of similar issues.
(AP)
Showing posts with label privacy breach. Show all posts
Showing posts with label privacy breach. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Ga. sex offenders must hand over online passwords
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Health insurer error exposes personal info
Thousands of Georgians insured under health provider Blue Cross/Blue Shield may be at identity risk following the mass mailings of claims documents to wrong addresses.
Georgia insurance officials estimate over 200,000 Explanation of Benefits letters sent by Blue Cross went to wrong addresses last week. Letters included information such as a patient’s name, ID number, and amounts charged and owed. And some letters included social security numbers.
State Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine says sensitive medical information of patients could be exposed.
"I’d say it’s the most serious violation of any major insurer that we’ve had since I’ve been in office, and I’ve been in office for 14 years".
Blue Cross says an improperly tested computer system change is to blame. A company statement says this is an isolated incident, and that changes have been made to prevent a repeat problem. A spokeswoman says the percentage of social security numbers exposed was small.
Blue Cross has a little over 3-million policyholders in Georgia.
Georgia insurance officials estimate over 200,000 Explanation of Benefits letters sent by Blue Cross went to wrong addresses last week. Letters included information such as a patient’s name, ID number, and amounts charged and owed. And some letters included social security numbers.
State Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine says sensitive medical information of patients could be exposed.
"I’d say it’s the most serious violation of any major insurer that we’ve had since I’ve been in office, and I’ve been in office for 14 years".
Blue Cross says an improperly tested computer system change is to blame. A company statement says this is an isolated incident, and that changes have been made to prevent a repeat problem. A spokeswoman says the percentage of social security numbers exposed was small.
Blue Cross has a little over 3-million policyholders in Georgia.
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