Quote:
Originally Posted by b0ned0me
I believe it would be technically trivial to set up a fully functional anonymous e-cash system using prepaid/top-up cards similar to how pay-as-you-go SIM cards operate. Plenty of companies would be delighted to set those up and accept them as payment (with no physical address required at all at any stage in the process), were it not for all those pesky government regulations intended to restrict money laundering, tax evasion and the like.
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You need to provide certain type of personal information when you are activating a cellphone via SIM card or pre-paid, at least here in USA. The same is for online payments. Banks cannot create a valid user account or receive any cash without validating your identity. One of the few ways to do it is with your name and address. Even with PayPal. PayPal only ask for your cellphone or email but must be mapped to a Bank account which or course, has your name and address on the Oracle, MySQL or MS-SQL database (or whatever other RDMS they use)
There is no way to establish any e-commerce or online payment without providing some type of way to identify yourself and I think it is an International rule. The reason? Money laundry and tax evasion. But that has nothing to do with violations of your privacy.
In terms of data or online transactions, collecting and saving information it's not a privacy violation. Using such data without your permission or for a different purpose than the initially intended, it is.