The Commission has gathered information about individual reference services in various ways. On March 6, 1997, the Commission issued a Federal Register Notice informing the public that the Commission would conduct this study. This notice announced that the Commission would hold a public workshop and requested public comment on certain specified issues and on any other issue of fact, law, or policy that could inform the Commission's study.(1) Additionally, FTC staff has met with dozens of individuals who requested to participate in the workshop. Staff has also spoken with entities whose views, experience, or information could better inform the Commission’s analysis or help provide a balanced record. On June 10, 1997, the Commission held a one-day public workshop on individual reference services.(2) Panelists representing a broad range of view points and involved in varied aspects of the individual reference services industry responded to questions from the Commission about sources of and access to information contained in individual reference services’ databases, the uses of that information and associated benefits and risks, and potential responses to address concerns.(3) In response to the Federal Register notice and the workshop, the Commission has received 272 formal written comments.(4)

(1) 62 Federal Register 10,271 (March 6, 1997). The Federal Register notice is included in Appendix A1.

(2)This workshop was part of a four-day public workshop held by the FTC to examine consumer information privacy in the emerging electronic marketplace. The workshop also examined current practices regarding the collection and use of personal information on-line, including information collected from and about children, self-regulatory efforts and technological developments since June 1996, and as unsolicited commercial e-mail.

(3)The Workshop agenda, including the names of all participants, is included in Appendix B. The transcript of the workshop is posted on the FTC’s Web site at <http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/privacy2>.

(4)These comments are on file at the FTC and posted on the FTC’s Web site at <http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/privacy2>.

Appendix C: List of Comments Submitted Pursuant to Federal Register Notice

Accipiter Doc. No. 007
Association for Children for Enforcement and Support (ACES)Doc. No. 005, Doc. No. 006
American Bankers Association (ABA) Doc. No. 004
American Marketing Association Doc. No. 001
James K. Archibald Doc. No. 022
Association of National Advertisers Doc. No. 030
Ram Avrahami Doc. No. 023
Robert Biggerstaff Doc. No. 003
CDB Infotek Doc. No. 020
Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) Doc. No. 029
Childcare Checkpoint Doc. No. 034
Department of Treasury, United States Secret ServiceDoc. No. 028
Direct Marketing Association (DMA) Doc. No. 014
Dun & Bradstreet Doc. No. 036
Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) Doc. No. 026
eTRUST Doc. No. 010
GE Capital/Montgomery Ward CRT Doc. No. 002
Independent Bankers Association of America (IBAA) Doc. No. 024
Individual Reference Services Group (IRSG) Doc. No. 035
Information Industry Association (IIA) Doc. No. 032
Junkbusters Corporation Doc. No. 015
LEXIS-NEXIS Doc. No. 018, Doc. No. 18A
National Consumers League (NCL) Doc. No. 012
National Council of Investigation & Security Services, Inc. (NCISS) Doc. No. 011
National Retail Federation (NRF) Doc. No. 021
National White Collar Crime Center Doc. No. 033
New York State Department of Law (NYAG) Doc. No. 008
Piper and Marbury Doc. No. 017
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC) Doc. No. 006, Doc. No. 016A
Privacy Times Doc. No. 009
Private Investigation Industry see pp. 2-5, Appendix CDoc. Nos. 037 - 271.
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (Reporters Committee) Doc. No. 016
United States Department of Justice, Computer Crimes DivisionDoc. No. 031
United States Office of Consumer Affairs Doc. No. 025
VISA USA Doc. No. 019

Comments from the Private Investigation Industry

A.A. & Associates, Inc. Doc. No. 070
ABBA Investigations Doc. No. 256
Acta Investigations, Inc. Doc. No. 136
Adams' Investigations Doc. No. 049
Agency-One Investigations, Inc. Doc. No. 048
Alaska Investigators' Association Doc. No. 138
Alaska Shield Doc. No. 096
American Investigations & Security International Doc. No. 184
A.M. & Investigations, Inc. Doc. No. 125
Arbiter Investigations Doc. No. 153
Area Wide Investigations Doc. No. 180
Carlos S. Arias Doc. No. 060
Associated Global Insurance Services, Inc. Doc. No. 174
Attorneys' Investigative Consultants Doc. No. 113
Atwater Enterprises Doc. No. 185
Aurora Investigations, Inc. Doc. No. 142
Badger State Detective Agency Doc. No. 088
Badger State Investigative Service Doc. No. 079
Ball & Weed Doc. No. 143
Ball & Weed Doc. No. 182
Ball & Weed Doc. No. 261
Ball & Weed Doc. No. 271
Bates Investigations Doc. No. 152
Bayview Investigations Doc. No. 067
Benett Investigations Inc Doc. No. 078
Biscomb, P.I. Doc. No. 043
Black Knight Investigations Doc. No. 066
Bob Nesvick Investigative Services Doc. No. 087
Bombet, Cashio & Associates Doc. No. 069
Michael J. Brosnan P.D. Doc. No. 082
Cascade Pacific Detective Agency Doc. No. 047
Central Bail Bond Investigations Doc. No. 146
Cervantes & Associates, Inc. Doc. No. 109
Cervantes & Associates, Inc. Doc. No. 194
Citadel Protection & Investigations, Inc. Doc. No. 134
Corporate Investigative Services, Inc. Doc. No. 102
Countrywide Asset Investigators Doc. No. 123
C.R. Cochran & Associates Doc. No. 084
Cynthia Erdelyi Investigations, CPI, CIP Doc. No. 141
Data Research, Inc. Doc. No. 259
Dameron Investigative Services Doc. No. 193
Daniel & Nicolai Doc. No. 265
David C. Anmahian & Associates Doc. No. 051
DCR Enterprises Doc. No. 177
Delta Investigations Doc. No. 081
Steven E. Detata Doc. No. 155
Dial Services, Inc. Doc. No. 089
DLS Investigations Doc. No. 139
Don Malone & Associates, Inc. Doc. No. 149
Darryl Drew Doc. No. 156
Eagle Information Service Doc. No. 057
Eagle Investigations Doc. No. 072
Edie Lee & Associates Doc. No. 192
Edward R. Kirby & Associates, Inc. Doc. No. 071
Ellis Investigations Doc. No. 115
EX-CEL Investigations Doc. No. 120
EX Fed Investigative Services, Inc. Doc. No. 173
Factfinders Doc. No. 094
Factfinders Doc. No. 122
William E. Fason, P.I. Doc. No. 075
Five Rivers Investigations Doc. No. 074
Flynn & Associates Doc. No. 179
Flynn & Associates Doc. No. 187
Forensic Analysts Investigations Doc. No. 129
Arthur J. Forster Doc. No. 099
Gerald Adams & Associates, Inc. Doc. No. 145
Global Intelligence Network, Inc. Doc. No. 045
Global Intelligence Network, Inc. Doc. No. 269
Gradoni & Associates Doc. No. 255
Gray Security, Inc. Doc. No. 140
Joseph T. Grills Doc. No. 103
Alan Grover Doc. No. 257
G.W. Mack Investigations Doc. No. 158
Haberkern & Company Doc. No. 106
Hans de Haas & Associates, Inc. Doc. No. 083
Henderson & Associates Doc. No. 264
M. Randall Hicks Doc. No. 098
HUB Enterprises, Inc. Doc. No. 110
IAI Investigative Associates, Inc. Doc. No. 151
Information Please Doc. No. 189
Information Services Doc. No. 266
Information Services Investigations, Inc. Doc. No. 175
International Management Assistance Corporation Doc. No. 095
International Research Services, Inc. Doc. No. 112
Investigative Dynamics, Inc. Doc. No. 117
Invex Doc. No. 114
ION Incorporated Doc. No. 076
J.L. Fry Research & Investigations Doc. No. 073
JMK Investigations Doc. No. 254
John W. Palich Investigations Doc. No. 131
JR Investigations Doc. No. 077
JR Investigations Doc. No. 178
J.W. Strelec Investigations Doc. No. 144
James L. Kellner Doc. No. 085
Kellogg Investigation Services Doc. No. 157
Klopper Investigations Doc. No. 119
Krisztina Reports, Inc. Doc. No. 061
Krotzer Legal Investigations Doc. No. 065
Langhammer & Associates, Inc. Doc. No. 080
Lassen Investigative Services Doc. No. 093
Legal Research Services Investigations, Inc. Doc. No. 053
Litigation Assistance Work Doc. No. 172
L. Michael Connelley & Associates Doc. No. 176
Management Protection Services Doc. No. 253
MarKahn Co. Doc. No. 137
John F. Matula Doc. No. 126
MG Investigations Doc. No. 263
Al Morris Doc. No. 171
NASA One Services Doc. No. 181
NationsBank Doc. No. 160
Ed Nickel Doc. No. 038
Noragon & Associates Doc. No. 042
N. R. Cochran & Associates Doc. No. 166
Pacific Investigations Doc. No. 165
Paladin Investigations Doc. No. 054
Perrin Investigative Service Doc. No. 068
PFC Information Services, Inc. Doc. No. 190
Steven H. Phelps Doc. No. 147
Charles Pollard Doc. No. 154
P&R Executive Services Agency Doc. No. 133
P&R Executive Services Agency Doc. No. 163
Professional Inquiry, Inc. Doc. No. 092
Professional Investigative Consultants Doc. No. 183
Professional Investigators & Security Association Doc. No. 162
Protec Doc. No. 127
R. A. Heales & Associates, LTD Doc. No. 059
Carl S. Raphael, P.I. Doc. No. 052
Ray, McChristian & Jeans Doc. No. 191
RJC & Associates Investigations Doc. No. 086
R.J.N. Investigations, Inc. Doc. No. 124
R.J. Slepski Investigations, Inc. Doc. No. 118
Scott I. Ross Doc. No. 111
Ruffin & Associates Doc. No. 178-2
Saraceno Investigations Doc. No. 044
Security Solutions, Inc. Doc. No. 148
Scope Investigative Network Doc. No. 260
Shimrak Investigations Doc. No. 104
Skyhawk Investigations Doc. No. 116
Sleuth, Inc. Doc. No. 100
Sleuth Fox Investigations Doc. No. 064
Special Inquiry Company Doc. No. 268
Specialized Investigations Doc. No. 055
Specialized Investigations, Inc. Doc. No. 132
Steele Investigation Agency Doc. No. 168
Strasburger & Price, L.L.P. Doc. No. 186
Superior Service Bureau Doc. No. 063
Tactical Investigative Services Doc. No. 039
Tamara Thompson Investigation Doc. No. 050
Target Investigation Service Doc. No. 267
Technical Surveys Consulting Doc. No. 258
Texas Investigative Network, Inc. Doc. No. 150
Texas Judgment Recovery Co., Inc. Doc. No. 161
The Knorok Detective Agency Doc. No. 164
Thistle Investigation Services Doc. No. 270
Topp Notch Investigations Doc. No. 046
Trace Investigations Doc. No. 121
Trace Investigations Doc. No. 135
Universal Investigations, Inc. Doc. No. 159
Universal Protective & Investigations, Inc. Doc. No. 090
Video Trackers, Inc. Doc. No. 058
Vinson Detective Agency Doc. No. 050-2
Vinson Detective Agency Doc. No. 056
Vinson Detective Agency Doc. No. 108
W. A. Haag & Associates Inc. Doc. No. 091
Wallace Investigations Doc. No. 040
Walter Markely Investigations, L.C. Doc. No. 167
We Investigate, Inc. Doc. No. 170
Cal West Doc. No. 107
West Shield Investigations Doc. No. 188
Whitley Security and Investigations Doc. No. 252
Wilcox & Associates Doc. No. 128
William Sykes & Associates Doc. No. 097
Wind River Public Safety Services Doc. No. 062
Wood & Tait Doc. No. 041
World Investigations Doc. No. 101
Zrod Investigations Doc. No. 130

262 Jointly Filed Comments from Individual Members
of Private Investigation Industry Doc. No. 105

For more information about this report, please contact its principal author:

Lisa Rosenthal
Federal Trade Commission
Division of Credit Practices
6th & Pennsylvania, NW
Room S-4429
Washington, DC 20580

by phone: (202) 326-2249 or by electronic mail: lrosenthal@ftc.gov