Blockbuster lawsuit

Friends,

I believe a lot of people are misunderstanding the situation, or my intentions, so I would like to clarify.

The problem: Large companies have forgotten how to provide good customer service. Not only have they forgotten, but now I feel that they purposely take every small chance they can get to take advantage of their customers. And sometimes in doing so, they cross the line and break the law, walking all over our rights, that are supposed to be protected by the law.

Background: The Video Privacy Protection Act of 1988 was passed in reaction to the disclosure of Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork's video rental records in a newspaper. The Act stands as one of the strongest protections of consumer privacy against a specific form of data collection.

The current situation: Facebook started a new marketing program named Beacon, in November 2007. Quite a few companies were enrolled into the Beacon program, including Blockbuster. Beacon was designed in such a way, that when you purchased (or rented) something from a participating company, that information was posted to Facebook's News Feed, for all friends to see. Sounds like an ingenious marketing program! BUT Blockbuster had not received written consent from their blockbuster.com customers to provide Facebook with their rental information! That is where the line was crossed and the law was broken.

How far will we let them go?

What we can do: Stand up for our rights! Don't just stand around and complain about it. The more we let go, the worse things will get! If we let them get away with making our video records public, then soon our medical records will be public. We are the paying customers, and without our money, companies wouldn't be able to stay in business. Do not let companies get away with breaking any rules, especially at our expense.

Facebook did not break any laws, and the lawsuit was never against them. But now, Facebook has CHOSEN to cover for Blockbuster, and therefore have gotten themselves involved in the lawsuit. Not a smart decision. Blockbuster violated our privacy, broke a law while doing it, and now are trying to hide behind their Terms and Conditions agreement, and also hide behind Facebook rather than taking responsibility.

I also want to be extremely clear. I CAN'T stand it when ignorant people sue others for NO GOOD REASON. It is rediculous. For example, the robber that was trying to break into someone's house and fell through the ceiling and sued... again, ARE YOU SERIOUS!?!?! He was breaking the law, trespassing, with criminal intent, and HE is the one that fell. Even still... let's say he wasn't breaking any laws, and was just a friend... accidents happen. I hate it when people sue others over an ACCIDENT.

And one more thing I want everyone to know... I am NOT participating in this lawsuit because I want any money!!! I would rather NOT win any money, because I feel that it interferes with my true intentions... PROTECTING OUR RIGHTS!! This is NOT about ME!! I am representing EVERYONE! This law is in place to protect EVERYONE, and the law was broken! I would not have to sue if law enforcement was doing their job... enforcing the law, right?! But they are NOT! Blockbuster is STILL ILLEGALLY giving Facebook everyone's rental information. You just don't know it!

Also, I know that Facebook is not intended to be a super private website! I get that. BUT I expect it to be private to an extent. I get to CHOOSE who my friends are. I then get to choose what it is my friends do and do not see. I only upload pictures that I want my friends to see. I only write a status that I don't mind my friends reading. Also, I DID NOT sign-up for ANYTHING to link my Blockbuster account to Facebook. I PROMISE. And it is NOT about me! Blockbuster did this to MANY people who were not even aware of it.

I just want the world to be better place. I try to live by the Golden Rule , "Treat others as you would like to be treated". It has always bothered me to the core when people have used the excuse "Well, life's not fair". You're right, it's not. God allows evil things to happen. God allows people to be born with disabilities. BUT WE ARE NOT GOD AND WE SHOULD DO WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE THE WORLD MORE FAIR. I firmly believe that God allows unfair things to happen, as a lesson for us, a chance for us to show love and compassion... a chance for us to TRY and make things fair.

I was NOT expecting this lawsuit to be a big deal, known by all. The lawsuit was actually filed in April of 2008, and I have never brought it up before until I was asked to do an interview for Fox News. I was expecting Blockbuster to apologize, settle outside of court, change their bad-habits, and for other companies to learn the easy way by learning from Blockbuster's mistakes. But Blockbuster is fighting it... THEY are the ones deciding to make this into a bigger deal. I will just continue to hold them accountable on behalf of everyone they violated.

I am obviously a "Rights Fighter" but hope to do so while staying on the path of God's Will for my life. Being so outspoken makes me a target for Satan, but if this publicity is used to "expand my boundaries", then so be it.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I would appreciate any words of encouragement.

~Cathryn