Comments on: Bob Barr on Data Aggregators http://www.robhyndman.com/2005/04/19/bob-barr-on-data-aggregators/ any technology distinguishable from magic is not sufficiently advanced Sun, 07 Sep 2008 23:48:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Frank http://www.robhyndman.com/2005/04/19/bob-barr-on-data-aggregators/#comment-185 Frank Mon, 15 Aug 2005 15:22:20 +0000 http://www.robhyndman.com/2005/04/19/bob-barr-on-data-aggregators/#comment-185 The real question is why has this economic activity come into existence. Is there some value added to the economy? The simple answer is yes. There are billions of dollars of economic activity engaged in data aggregation. The vast majority is focused on legitimate needs in the economy. The legitimate purposes that data aggregators satisfy is to perform character checks on people. Lets face it -- Character is still the single best predictor as to whether you are going to have a successful and honorable business relationship with a person. In a highly mobile and fairly anoynomous society, the best way we have to investigate a person's business character is to examine how they conduct themselves in public. Does the person move frequently, do they have many court cases against them or by them, how often have they or companies they owned filed bankruptcy, etc. Data aggregation and examination is the most cost effective way to conduct character checks on persons. Regulation to eliminate this industry or drive it offshore is very short sighted. The real question is why has this economic activity come into existence. Is there some value added to the economy? The simple answer is yes. There are billions of dollars of economic activity engaged in data aggregation. The vast majority is focused on legitimate needs in the economy.

The legitimate purposes that data aggregators satisfy is to perform character checks on people. Lets face it — Character is still the single best predictor as to whether you are going to have a successful and honorable business relationship with a person. In a highly mobile and fairly anoynomous society, the best way we have to investigate a person’s business character is to examine how they conduct themselves in public. Does the person move frequently, do they have many court cases against them or by them, how often have they or companies they owned filed bankruptcy, etc. Data aggregation and examination is the most cost effective way to conduct character checks on persons. Regulation to eliminate this industry or drive it offshore is very short sighted.

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