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There was a time when any personal information that was gathered about us was typed on a piece of paper and locked away in a file cabinet. It could remain there for years and, often forgotten, never reach the outside world.
曾经有一段时间，我们的个人信息会被收集起来、打印在纸上，然后锁在文件柜里。这些信息可能会在文件柜里保留数年，而且经常被遗忘，从来没有在外界曝光过。
Things have done a complete about-face since then. Responsible for the change has been the astonishingly swift development in recent years of the computer. Today, any data that is collected about us in one place or another — and for one reason or another — can be stored in a computer bank. It can then be easily passed to other computer banks. They are owned by individuals and by private businesses and corporations, lending institutions, direct mailing and telemarketing firms, credit bureaus, credit card companies, and government agencies at the local, state, and federal level.
从那以后，情况发生了彻底的改变。导致改变发生的是近年来计算机惊人的迅猛发展。现在，基于一些原因，在各个地方收集到的个人数据会存储在电脑库里。而且转移到其他电脑库非常简单。这些电脑库的所有者有个人、私营企业、有限公司、贷款机构、直邮公司、电话销售公司、信用机构、信用卡公司、各地各州及联邦政府机构。
A growing number of Americans are seeing the accumulation and distribution of computerized data as a frightening invasion of their privacy. Surveys show that the number of worried Americans has been steadily growing over the years as the computer becomes increasingly efficient, easier to operate, and less costly to purchase and maintain. In 1970, a national survey showed that 37 percent of the people questioned felt their privacy was being invaded. Seven years later, 47 percent expressed the same worry. A recent survey by a credit bureau revealed that the number of alarmed citizens had soared up to 76 percent.
越来越多的美国人认为积累并散布计算机数据是一种可怕的侵犯隐私的方式。调查显示，近几年来，由于计算机越来越高效、更易于操作、购买价格和维护价格日益低廉，感到担心的美国人数量呈现稳步增长的趋势。1970年进行的全国调查显示，参与调查的人中有37%的人认为他们的隐私受到了侵犯。七年之后，持同样担忧的美国人比例上升至47%。而信用机构近期进行的调查揭示，感到担心的美国民众数量攀升至76%。
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