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Residents sue over ads in plate renewal notices
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By KELLY WIESE
Associated Press Writer
Two Missouri residents claim in federal court that their privacy is being violated by a policy allowing ads to be inserted in license plate renewal notices, but the state said Monday their concerns are overblown.
The state Revenue Department last year hired a contractor to handle printing of vehicle registration notices. Imagitas Inc. provides the printing for free in exchange for the right to sell and insert commercial advertisements in the packets.
The state previously had been spending more than $1.1 million a year to print and mail vehicle renewal notices. The advertising arrangement saves $530,000, the department said. The state still spends $611,000 annually for postage.
But Missouri residents Michele Poynter and Jan Bradstreet filed a lawsuit in federal court in Kansas City last month alleging that providing their information to the company violates a federal law protecting drivers' data.
“Defendants' disclosure of plaintiffs' personal information constitutes an invasion of privacy that violates the (federal law),” according to the lawsuit filed by Kansas City attorney Douglas Gentile.
The lawsuit says the Driver's Privacy Protection Act forbids disclosing personal information in motor vehicle records for “surveys, marketing materials or solicitations” without first obtaining people's consent.
The lawsuit seeks class-action status and damages of $2,500 per person whose information was improperly provided - in a state the lawsuit estimates has more than 2 million drivers.
The Revenue Department said Monday that advertisers have no access to Missourians' information, and that details the company gets are not considered private under the federal law.
The company gets a person's name, address and vehicle registration details, but not a Social Security number, age or other personal information, Revenue Department spokeswoman Maura Browning said.
“Imagitas is like a firewall between the department and any advertisers,” she said. “We're talking about information that, even though lawyers would want you to think that it's private information, the (Driver's Privacy Protection Act) doesn't see it like that.”
But the practice has raised eyebrows beyond the courthouse, as well. A couple of weeks ago, the Senate approved a proposal by Sen. Tim Green, D-St. Louis, to prevent the state from including ads in vehicle renewal notices. The measure was included in a wide-ranging bill to change motor vehicle laws, and now awaits action in the House.
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Case is Michele Poynter v. Patricia Vincent, 07-4047-CV-C-NKL.
On the Net:
U.S. District Court: https://ecf.mowd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/ShowIndex.pl
The state Revenue Department last year hired a contractor to handle printing of vehicle registration notices. Imagitas Inc. provides the printing for free in exchange for the right to sell and insert commercial advertisements in the packets.
The state previously had been spending more than $1.1 million a year to print and mail vehicle renewal notices. The advertising arrangement saves $530,000, the department said. The state still spends $611,000 annually for postage.
But Missouri residents Michele Poynter and Jan Bradstreet filed a lawsuit in federal court in Kansas City last month alleging that providing their information to the company violates a federal law protecting drivers' data.
“Defendants' disclosure of plaintiffs' personal information constitutes an invasion of privacy that violates the (federal law),” according to the lawsuit filed by Kansas City attorney Douglas Gentile.
The lawsuit says the Driver's Privacy Protection Act forbids disclosing personal information in motor vehicle records for “surveys, marketing materials or solicitations” without first obtaining people's consent.
The lawsuit seeks class-action status and damages of $2,500 per person whose information was improperly provided - in a state the lawsuit estimates has more than 2 million drivers.
The Revenue Department said Monday that advertisers have no access to Missourians' information, and that details the company gets are not considered private under the federal law.
The company gets a person's name, address and vehicle registration details, but not a Social Security number, age or other personal information, Revenue Department spokeswoman Maura Browning said.
“Imagitas is like a firewall between the department and any advertisers,” she said. “We're talking about information that, even though lawyers would want you to think that it's private information, the (Driver's Privacy Protection Act) doesn't see it like that.”
But the practice has raised eyebrows beyond the courthouse, as well. A couple of weeks ago, the Senate approved a proposal by Sen. Tim Green, D-St. Louis, to prevent the state from including ads in vehicle renewal notices. The measure was included in a wide-ranging bill to change motor vehicle laws, and now awaits action in the House.
---
Case is Michele Poynter v. Patricia Vincent, 07-4047-CV-C-NKL.
On the Net:
U.S. District Court: https://ecf.mowd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/ShowIndex.pl
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