Case Name :      ChoicePoint Inc. and the Personal Data Industry

Authors :           Cynthia Clark Williams

Source :             North American Case Research Association (NACRA)

Case ID :            NA0046

Discipline :        Information Technology

Case Length :    16 pages

Solution sample availability : YES

Plagiarism : NO (100% Original work)

In 2005, Derek V. Smith, CEO of ChoicePoint, Inc., a leader in the personal data industry, was facing some difficult strategic challenges. Under his watch, the company had allowed a large security breach-compromising some 160 thousand personal files-which it did not prevent or detect immediately. The result was renewed attention and scrutiny on personal data privacy issues causing Congress to consider several new legislative bills. Meanwhile, pressure to make changes in the way he did business was mounting from the media, the Federal Trade Commission, influential privacy rights advocates, and the general public. The case focuses on Smith as he weighs his options after months of trying to change public sentiment. Smith needed to make a decision regarding the proper use of social security numbers but also the restoration of faith in his company and the personal data industry, as both were facing significant legitimacy threats.