Perceptions of Privacy

Type "John Ashcroft" in the Google search engine, and you'll find links to the attorney general's official biography and a video of Ashcroft singing his self-penned patriotic

Considering the histrionics of Ashcroft's Internet critics, one might assume they represent only a small, vocal minority. But that assumption would be wrong.

That, at least, is the finding of a new study by an Arizona-based think tank that asked 6,313 Americans whether they believe five dozen government organizations safeguard the personal information they collect and use about them. In the survey, the Office of the Attorney General ranked dead last, with less than one-fourth of respondents saying they were "confident" Ashcroft's office is "committed to protecting the privacy of my personal information."