The threat to DMV lists grows Nov 1, 1999 12:00 PM
, Paul Miller
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In early October, the House and the Senate approved a $49.5 billion
transportation appropriations bill containing a provision that forbids
state Departments of Motor Vehicles (DMVs) from selling the names of
motorists for marketing purposes unless the motorists have opted in - in
other words, expressly given the DMVs permission to sell their names. At
press time, this privacy protection portion of the bill was set to take
effect in June 2000.
For catalogers, DMV lists would become "virtually useless from a marketing
standpoint," says Richard Barton, senior vice president, congressional
affairs for the Direct Marketing Association. "Not enough people will ever
opt in to make DMV lists very useful."
But Barton adds that direct marketers won't go down without a fight. The
bill conflicts with the opt-out provision of the landmark Drivers Privacy
Protection Act (DPPA), and he hopes to push to get the language in the bill
changed to be consistent with the DPPA. "A court case could solve the
problem, leading to further legislation that would change it to an opt-out,
rather than an opt-in." With an opt-out, a DMV would be able to sell the
names of motorists unless those motorists expressly requested otherwise.
