[Dataloss] Suit alleges Internet privacy breach

[lyger]

(Following link provided by blitz at strikenet.kicks-ass.net via AP 
newswire)

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060324/1058953.asp?PFVer=Story

New York's attorney general sued an Internet company Thursday over the 
selling of e-mail addresses in what authorities say may be the biggest 
deliberate breach of Internet privacy ever.

Attorney General Eliot Spitzer accused Gratis Internet of selling personal 
information obtained from millions of consumers despite a promise of 
confidentiality.

The consumers thought they were registering to see a Web site offering 
free iPod music players or DVD movies and video games, Spitzer spokesman 
Brad Maione said. On sign-up pages, Gratis promised it "does not . . . 
sell/rent e-mails."

Instead of confidentiality, Spitzer said, Gratis sold access to its e-mail 
information to three independent e-mail marketers, and hundreds of 
millions of e-mail solicitations followed.

[...]