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06/29/2003 Archived Entry: "eBay: Freelance arm of the law"
IF YOU GET YOUR KICKS (OR YOUR MATHOMS) FROM EBAY, consider:
But the trend in the United States, as evidenced by eBay, among many companies, now sees huge private-sector commercial entities becoming, in effect, agents of law enforcement. It's an arrangement between government and the private sector, which Kozlovski calls the "invisible handshake"--Internet companies promise to open their files to law enforcement, while law enforcement insures that citizens stay in the dark. This new relationship raises crucial questions regarding civic life in the United States, and our rights as citizens and consumers. According to Sullivan, "when someone uses [eBay's] site and clicks on the 'I agree' button, it is as if he agrees to let us submit all of his data to the legal authorities..." Is this more than we bid for?
Et tu, Amazon.com ...?
Posted by Claire @ 04:09 PM CST
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