Fill out this form to email this article to a friend
Deal near in driver records lawsuits
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published December 22, 2006
MIAMI - A settlement proposed Wednesday would resolve lawsuits claiming that national information companies improperly used sensitive motor vehicle records for marketing purposes, in a case that could affect 200-million people nationwide. The 11 lawsuits were filed by people in Florida who charged that the companies obtained and used their personal information without permission. But both sides want a federal judge in Miami to make it apply to anyone whose driver's license or vehicle registration data was obtained by the companies since April 1, 1998. "Everyone agrees that no one should have their driver's information used for marketing purposes without their consent," said Tom Loffredo, spokesman for the companies that include Choicepoint Inc. of Atlanta, Experian Information Solutions Inc. of Costa Mesa, Calif., and U.S. units of Reed Elsevier PLC of London. Under the agreement, most of the defendant companies would adopt a series of safeguards aimed at protecting personal data commonly available from state motor vehicle agencies. No damages would be paid in the case, although each of the original plaintiffs would get up to $15,000 and the lawyers involved could get $25-million in fees and expenses from the companies. People around the country who have evidence they were harmed by misuse of personal data could still file lawsuits even if the settlement is approved as a nationwide agreement, plaintiffs' attorneys said. It will be up to U.S. District Judge Jose Martinez to decide whether to approve the settlement and whether it should be applied to all 50 states. The 200-million figure was contained in the settlement. A decision is not likely for weeks. The original lawsuit, filed in April 2003, claimed that the information providers were violating the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act by impermissibly obtaining personal information from motor vehicle records. The information was mainly sold to customers who used it to send people unwanted bulk mail surveys, marketing fliers and solicitations.
[Last modified December 21, 2006, 22:59:48]
Share your thoughts on this story
|
News
Fifty years ago, they were screwed-up kids sent to the Florida School for Boys to be straightened out. But now they are screwed-up men, scarred by the whippings they endured. Read the story and see a video and portrait gallery.
Print
Email story
Comment
Email editor
