Companies know my birthday ?

I am not one of those over-the-top, corporate conspiracy types (except for the illuminati, of course). However when I got a "Birthday" card ad from an auto insurance company with a green lizard I was very suspicious. I got another add talking about the town where I live and the "benefits" I got from living here.

It got me thinking about how much corporations know about me. And by extension the government. I believe they know quite a lot: They know I am a Male, 40-50, who lives in Northern New Jersey. They know approximately how much I earn and approximately what I buy.

Unfortunately for them. I don't buy enough brand name stuff to really be interesting. I don't really shop at Macy's that often, I don't buy Tide from Proctor and Gamble", and I don't use my credit card that regular. In other words, I am a very poor target for marketing.

I am also a poor target for the government. Other than a little bit of travel for work, I lead a very uninteresting life. So I don't think I am actively monitored.

However, I do believe in some common sense things about government spying. I believe the government has the ability to monitor all domestic and international electronic communication. They also have the ability to compile all the information in one place quickly, if they have not done so already. The electronic eves dropping is carried out by the National Security Administration. The NSA has long been accused of domestic spying and bypassing FISA (federal secret search warrant and wire-tap court).

Here is a link to a related story on the new NSA data center in Bluffdale, UT. Here.

So there is a sort of unwritten privacy bargain, between the public, the NSA and local law enforcement. Domestic crime unrelated to terrorism is off limits to the NSA. But if they hear something they would turn it over to the FBI.

So, here is the catch, my private is protected by my boring life not by any specific law. I might have a file but I don't think anyone would bother to read it.



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