by Kathy » 3/24/2006, 9:33 am
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Highlights:
NEW YORK (AFP) - New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer filed a lawsuit accusing a company of selling e-mail addresses in what he described as the largest deliberate breach of privacy in Internet history.
The suit against web site operator Gratis Internet alleges that the company sold personal information obtained from millions of consumers under a strict promise of confidentiality.
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Gratis Internet is best known for promising free iPods, televisions and DVDs to users willing to sign up for promotions offered by partners such as Citibank and Blockbuster.
The promotions required a registrant to sign up five others into the programme -- a process which drew criticism for being nothing more than a glorified pyramid scheme.
Contrary to the company's assurances of privacy, Spitzer's lawsuit accused Gratis owners Peter Martin and Robert Jewell with selling access to lists of millions of Gratis customers to three independent e-mail marketers.
"In each of these deals, Gratis wrongfully shared between one and seven million confidential user records," Spitzer said.
Edit: didn't realize the link was so long!
<I><B>"I know this sounds corny, and I might be a little bit drunk, but honest to god, thank you everybody"</B></I>