Thomas J. Watson Jr. Writes About the Dangers of Data Centralization in 1971“Today the Internal Revenue Service has our tax returns. The Social Security Administration keeps a running record on our jobs and our families. The Veterans Administration has medical records on many of us, and the Pentagon has our records of military service. “In this scatteration lies our protection. But put everything in one place, computerize it, and add to it without limit, and a thieving electronic blackmailer would have just one electronic safe to crack to get a victim's complete dossier—tough as that job would be. "And a malevolent Big Brother would not even have to do that, he could sit in his office, punch a few keys, and arm himself with all he needed to know to crush any citizen who threatened his power. “Along with the bugged olive in the Martini, the psychological test, and the spike microphone, the critics have seen ‘data surveillance’ as an ultimate destroyer of the individual American citizen's right to privacy--his right to call his soul his own.” Thomas J. Watson Jr., 1971 This information was included in a statement from Robert P. Bigelow, Attorney at Law, Boston, quoting Thomas J. Watson Jr. before a U.S. Senate Congressional Hearing: "Federal Data Bank, Computers, and the Bill of Rights" on March 10, 1971
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The Character of an Individual Is Displayed in Many Ways in an Interview."A man's life and beliefs are written upon his hands, upon his face and form, in his words and actions . . . and even into his penmanship." Carroll D. Murphy, "Handling Men: The Man for the Job," 1917 For more business insights, quips and witticisms select the image or the link below. John H. Patterson Comparing Life to Reading a Book: "Turn the Page.""Life is like a book . . . and the individual who spends all of their time in one place, reads only one page." John H. Patterson, President, NCR Corporation Attribution: John R. Bangs Jr., “Human-O-Grams,” The Ithaca Journal, April 14, 1938, p. 12
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Peter E. GreulichPeter E. has been studying IBM and early American corporate history since his retirement in 2011. These are his thoughts and musings, and of those whose biographies and autobiographies he has read with links to articles and book reviews on this website. Contact the author directly.
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