[oclug] Privacy violation & recipient delimieter "+"

[Rod Giffin]

On Friday 30 August 2002 06:46 am, Francis J. A. Pinteric wrote:
> On Thu, 29 Aug 2002 20:35:20 -0400
>
> Brad Barnett <bb at L8R.net> wrote:

> > In that case, it's not really the same issue (although it is annoying).
> > Whois information doesn't seem to back this up, but I have seen people
> > that have more than one company name...
>
> It doesn't matter who owns the company as essentially they are two
> separate entities under the law. A corporation is a distinct person under
> the law so coowheels selling your name to (the other name), if that is
> indeed what happened, is a violation of the privacy policy even if they
> were both owned by the same person. However, if these two companies were
> actually persons "operating under the name of ...." then you have a
> slightly different problem, but nonetheless worth exploring legally. Of
> course if these were corporations and  they WERE owned by the same person,
> be certain that he would argue the negative in this case. But that's what
> the courts are for, to sort out these precident setting issues. :-)
>
> Did I hear the word "potential rat's nest here?

Francis is absolutly right.  In Canada, and some states, a company is legally 
a different person, separate and destinct from every other company and 
separate and destinct from the owners.

While they were not likely breaking the law, what they did though may have 
been immoral in that they apparantly lied to you.  That is something I would 
take up with the company ownership before I took public.  It's awfully bad 
business, but wouldn't be worth the cost of taking to court. 

But I'd be willing to bet a small wager that the company is going to tell you 
something like they'd hired a new marketing manager, and he did this without 
checking the company policy.  They apologize and it won't happen again.  I'd 
also be willing to bet that it does happen again.

Rod.