Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC) is an American 501(c)(3) non-profit organization devoted to upholding the right to privacy and protect consumers against identity theft and other privacy crimes. 501(c)(3) is a provision of the US tax code that provides exempt status, for Federal income tax purposes, for some non-profit organizations in the United States (see 26 U.S.C. Â§ 501(c)(3)). The term refers to: Section 501. ... A non-profit organization (often called non-profit org or simply non-profit or not-for-profit) can be seen as an organization that doesnt have a goal to make a profit. ... The right to privacy is a purported human right and an element of various legal traditions which may restrain both government and private party action. ... Consumers are individuals or households that consume goods and services generated within the economy. ... Identity theft (or identity fraud) is the deliberate assumption of another persons identity, usually to gain access to their finances or frame them for a crime. ...

It was established in 1992 by Beth Givens and is based in San Diego, California. Nickname: Americas Finest City Official website: http://www. ...

They espouse what they describe as a two-part mission -- consumer information and consumer advocacy:

• Raise consumers' awareness of how technology affects personal privacy.
• Empower consumers to take action to control their own personal information by providing practical tips on privacy protection.
• Respond to specific privacy-related complaints from consumers, intercede on their behalf, and, when appropriate, refer them to the proper organizations for further assistance.
• Document the nature of consumers' complaints and questions about privacy in reports, testimony, and speeches and make them available to policy makers, industry representatives, consumer advocates, and the media.
• Advocate for consumers' privacy rights in local, state, and federal public policy proceedings, including legislative testimony, regulatory agency hearings, task forces, and study commissions as well as conferences and workshops.

The PRC received the 1997 Consumer Action Award for its "outstanding service to consumers," and PRC Director Beth Givens received a 2002 Pioneer Award from the Electronic Frontier Foundation. They have published numerous resources online and in print. The EFF uses the blue ribbon as symbolism for their Free Speech defense. ...

References

• Privacy Rights Clearinghouse website
• Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (1997) Privacy Rights Handbook. Harper Perennial ISBN 0380786842