Fairfax County Privacy Council

“Keeping an eye on privacy rights across the Commonwealth of Virginia since 2003”

www.FairfaxCountyPrivacyCouncil.org

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PLEASE MAIL COMPLETED SURVEY TO:

FCPC 2005 Candidate Surveys

ATTN:  XXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXX

Falls Church, VA 22046

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9 October 2005

 

Dear Candidate:

 

The Fairfax County Privacy Council (“FCPC”) has been keeping an eye on privacy issues since 2003.  The US Supreme Court, the US Congress, and the Virginia General Assembly have all declared that privacy is a fundamental American right.  We know that candidates for elected office in Virginia care about privacy because your constituents are concerned about privacy.

 

FCPC feels that the age of identity theft, identity fraud, stalking, sex crimes, domestic abuse, and widespread surveillance by government agencies and large private corporations calls for aggressive enforcement of existing privacy laws, as well as the adoption of new laws to keep up with the realities of the digital age.  Also, some long standing government practices need to be modified, such as the Internet or other publication of citizen records containing confidential and/or unique identifiers such as Social Security Numbers and dates of birth.  Finally, some government practices recently adopted in immediate response to the threat of terrorism (such as driver’s license “legal presence testing” and the REAL ID Act) need to be re-evaluated in light of their questionable efficacy against terrorism and their attendant unanticipated consequences upon public safety and Americans’ personal privacy and security.

 

In order for Virginians to evaluate your opinions and views on privacy, I have enclosed a candidate survey for the 2005 general election.  I urge you to study, fill out, sign, and return the survey to FCPC survey officer Andrew Amerine at the above captioned address no later than 23 October 2005.

 

Your prompt response will ensure that your views will be published via email alert and the world wide web to our email list subscribers, the media, and others interested in privacy rights in Virginia.

 

Thank you for your participation.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Mike Stollenwerk

Chairman

Enclosure