Database Nation: The Death of Privacy in the 21st Century

For immediate release
For more information, graphics,
or interview with the author, contact:
Lisa Mann (707) 829-0515 ext 230 or lisam@oreilly.com

Sebastopol, CA--O'Reilly and Associates has announced the release of "Database Nation: The Death of Privacy in the 21st Century" by Simson Garfinkel. "Database Nation" is about one of our most fundamental civil right--the right to personal privacy--and the serious threats to that right that we are facing today.

Fifty years ago, in the book "1984", George Orwell imagined a future in which privacy was vanquished by a totalitarian state that used spies and video surveillance to maintain control. In 2000, we find that the threats to our privacy are not coming from a monolithic "Big Brother", but--even harder to grapple with--hundreds of sources, not seeking to control us, merely to market to us, track us, count us, or streamline paperwork.

Th result, though, is still as chilling as "1984". Threats include:

*The death of due process. In today's world, where we expect computers to be infallible, the smallest clerical error can have devastating effects on people's lives.

*Biometrics. Fingerprints, iris scans, and genetic sequences make it possible to
instantly identify every human being form anywhere on the planet. What are the unintended consequences of not being able to conceal one's identity?

*The systematic capture of everyday events. We have the technology to record and analyze very purchase we make, every place we visit, every word we say, and everything we read. How is that information being used, and how can we prevent it's misuse?

*The commodification of personal information. Your name, your profession, your
hobbies are being turned into a valuable property right. But you don't own it.
Businesses are seizing and selling bits of personal information about you to ensurecontinued profits and market share.

*The bugging of the outside world. Microphones, video cameras, and other remote sensing devices are taking away the privacy we once thought we had in public places.

*Runaway marketing. Marketers increasingly use personal information to create a barrage of solicitations that look just like news articles, personal letters, or other non-commercial communications.

*Genetic autonomy. Breakthrough advances in genetics make it possible to predict disease, behavior, intelligence, and many other human traits--with differing levels of accuracy. Whether or not this information is correct, it will change how people are perceived and treated.

*the individual as terrorist. Lethal technologies are now available to anyone who wants them. How can society protect itself from random acts of terrorism without putting all of us under surveillance? How can society protect itself from abuses by law enforcement officials, even when those abuses seem to be in the public interest?

"Database Nation: The Death of Privacy in the 21st Century" is the "Silent Spring" of 2000. Simson's hope is that this important new book will open the public's eyes to the many intrusions on our privacy before it is too late.

For more information about the book, including Table of Contents, index,
author bio, and sample chapter, see:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/dbnation/

Chapter 6, To Know Your Future, is available free online at:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/dbnation/chapter/ch06.html

For a cover graphic in jpeg format, go to:
ftp://ftp.ora.com/pub/graphics/book_covers/hi-res/1565926536.jpg

Database Nation
The Death of Privacy in the 21st Century
By Simson Garfinkel
1st edition January 2000
1-56592-653-6, 320 pages, $24.95
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938
http://www.oreilly.com