It appears that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is disclosing user’s email addresses who post comments on the regulations that they are proposing right on their website. Check their website here: http://www.cftc.gov/lawandregulation/federalregister/federalregistercomments/2010/10-001.html
You would think these days that companies and regulators would have a greater respect for the privacy (at least of a user’s email address) of user’s who comment on regulations. Regulators should be held to the same privacy requirements that companies are. If any company were to post a user’s email address from customer comment form without allowing the user to prevent the disclosure of their email address they would be roasted for it. I don’t object with disclosing someone’s home address, but I feel that disclosing user’s email addresses is a bit over the line especially when the user has no choice on it’s disclosure. I can’t wait for spammers or scammers to target these comments to send malware. This is scary in my opinion.
Send your CFTC privacy concerns to secretary@cftc.gov or informationquality@cftc.gov.
I’m the other way around. I would much rather have them expose my email address than my home address.
In a FERPA context home address is directory information and you have to give students the option to opt out. It doesn’t look like FERPA covers email at all.
Either way I agree that regulators and government agencies should be held to the same (or higher) standards than private industry.
Yeah, agreed