Flood Control on the Information Ocean: Living with Anonymity, Digital Cash, and Distributed Databases

Abstract

This article argues that the coming tide of electronic commerce will bring with it unprecedented opportunities for profiling of individual habits. Most consumers may find that their only practicable defense against profiling and data mining is to transact anonymously; as a result, the legal status of anonymous communication will become increasingly important. The article thus discusses the legal status of anonymous speech and anonymous digital cash. It also describes several of the most popular varieties of digital cash, including Mondex and DigiCash, and compares their differing implications for the user's personal privacy.