Re: web based health studies

Spike Jones (spike66@ibm.net)
Sun, 27 Sep 1998 09:32:54 -0700

Hara Ra wrote:

> >spike wrote: ... simultaneously
> >protecting the database from vandalism (possibly by health
> >product manufacturers) and guarding the privacy of those who
> >contribute to the database.
> >
> >how, extropians? how how how how do we do it? spike
> >
> The quick and dirty approach is for folks to voluntarily provide it, and
> personal Web pages are available today. I would like to see a search engine
> which takes a name, or corporate name, and returns the home page URL....

hara ra, this approach doesnt really protect either privacy or protect from data vandals. consider my recent experience with the car shopping. i could not find information on potential problems with a pickup truck i liked, so i found a website. many posts expressed concern over a new feature of the 98 fords, that the transmission would not hold up under the increased load.

then i saw a post that went something like: im a texas cowgirl and i haul my horses in a yakkity yak trailer and that trany is doing fine after bla bla miles, etc.

well, as with extropians, she had the problem of a woman on a male dominated group and they started sniffing. (mmmmm, feeemaaaaale, like truuuucks, mmmmm) {8^D they asked about her horses, she never responded. well, if you know horse people, they love to talk about their horses. so now i suspect "she" was a ford dealer that posted that, hoping to allay fears about the product.

the same problem would show up with the example i stated: how to find the link between breast cancer and vitamin e. spike