New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer filed a lawsuit Thursday 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.
"Unless checked now, companies that collect and sell information on consumers will continue to find ways to erode the basic standards that protect privacy in the Internet age," Spitzer said.
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.
While many did receive a free iPod, they also ended up with inboxes stuffed full of junk marketing mail. 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.
The marketers then sent hundreds of millions of e-mail solicitations to those users, on behalf of their own customers.
"In each of these deals, Gratis wrongfully shared between one and seven million confidential user records," Spitzer said.
Comments
Comments are closed.