FTC: Consumer Privacy Comments Concerning Ken Defoor Investigations--P974806 KEN DEFOOR INVESTIGATIONS
Mr. Robert Pitofsky Re: Support of Self-Regulation Dear Mr. Chairman: In response to the Commission's request for additional comments following the hearings of June 10, 1997, I as a Texas licensed private investigator and a regular user of public and non-public records (credit headers) support the proposition of self-regulation. The data we regularly access and use in our investigations and reports has a beneficial use and need in society. It is most important that a free flow of information be available to support commerce and our judicial system. In many cases, we as private investigators work offenses which are unsuited in law enforcement or do not extend into their field, such as civil cases. We are required by law to keep the information confidential and to maintain a high degree of accuracy in our reports, and this we do as shown by the test of courts and marketplace. Privacy protection can be managed through our industry's self-regulation of uses and distribution. Our industry has stated a willingness and desire to self-regulate. I ask that you support self-regulation and work with the industry to successfully bring about policies and procedures that we can all live with in a free society.
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