Re: Internet Privacy Act introduced in the Michigan House

[David W. McCauslin]

Jeff:

Whoa!  Does this apply to students as well??  We do not want to foster the
"Big Brother" mentality, but some of these kids need to be monitored.  That
being asked, here is one more.  Cheboygan Area Schools is a Merit Affiliate.
Are we the ISP (as per this legislation) or is Merit?  Just curious.  ;-)

Dave McCauslin
Technology Director
Cheboygan Area Schools

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Ogden <jogden@merit.edu>
To: mjus@merit.edu <mjus@merit.edu>; mjts@merit.edu <mjts@merit.edu>;
netdirect@merit.edu <netdirect@merit.edu>; execcom@merit.edu
<execcom@merit.edu>
Date: Wednesday, June 24, 1998 6:30 PM
Subject: Internet Privacy Act introduced in the Michigan House


>House Bill 5964 was introduced in the Michigan House on June 23rd and sent
>to the Committee on Advanced Technology and Computer Development. The bill,
>to be known as the "Internet Privacy Act" has the following title:
>        A bill to regulate internet service providers and certain
>        internet users; to provide certain rights of privacy associated
>        with the use of the internet; and to provide remedies and
>        prescribe penalties
>
>The full text of the Act is available on the Web. See
>     http://www.michiganlegislature.org
>
>At the heart of the act are the following sections:
>
>Sec. 3. An internet service provider shall not keep records
>in any form or format of customers' browsing patterns or sell or
>distribute that information unless the internet service provider
>notifies the customer in advance of its intention to do so. This
>notification shall allow a person to respond to the internet
>service provider that the person does not want the internet service
>provider to keep records of the person's browsing patterns.
>If a person notifies an internet service provider that the person
>does not want the internet service provider to keep records of
>the person's browsing patterns, the internet service provider
>shall not keep such records.
>
>Sec. 4. An internet service provider shall not divulge a
>person's electronic mail messages without the person's written
>authorization to do so.
>
>Sec. 5. A person who violates this act, other than section
>6, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not
>more than 90 days or a fine of not more than $100.00, or both.
>
>Sec. 6. A person who does either of the following is guilty
>of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 2 years
>or a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or both:
>(a) Places personal nonpublic information regarding an individual
>on the internet with the intent to cause an individual
>physical or financial harm.
>(b) Distributes or uses personal nonpublic information
>regarding an individual obtained from the internet with the
>intent to cause an individual physical or financial harm.
>
>Sec. 7. A person who suffers injuries as a result of a violation
>of this act may file a civil action against a person who
>12 violates this act to recover damages for their injuries.
>
>