Data Theft: How to Fix the Mess

Joe Nocera writes for the New York Times about data theft-- looking back at the actions twenty years ago led by Sen. William Proxmire that changed the way credit card issuers had to deal with consumers and why Bruce Schneier is recommending similar changes today to deal with data theft or data loss.

What we need right now is someone in power who can put the burden for this problem right where it belongs: on the financial and other institutions who collect this data. Let's face it: by the time even the most vigilant consumer discovers his information has been used fraudulently, it's already too late.

"When people ask me what can the average person do to stop identity theft, I say, 'nothing,' " said Bruce Schneier, the chief technology officer of Counterpane Internet Security. "This data is held by third parties and they have no impetus to fix it."