Richard Mahoney (Independent, Clean Elections Candidate, http://www.mahoneyforgovernor.com/)
(about Richard Mahoney...)

I think the state needs to protect its citizens from fraudulent actions stemming from transactions over the internet. I will take a strong line against scams and adopt preventative measures, when necessary. I am also an opponent of the commoditization of personal information without consent. I will balance the need for security with privacy rights through defensive channeling of personal data into secure modules.

Janet Napolitano (Democrat, Clean Elections Candidate, http://www.governor.state.az.us/)
(about Janet Napolitano...)

As a former U.S. Attorney and current state Attorney General, I've had substantial first-hand experiences that illustrate both law enforcement's need to collect certain electronic data and the legitimate privacy concerns arising from unauthorized use of personal information. In addition to prosecuting a number of internet scams, I drafted Arizona's Security Enhancement Act, which, among other things, expands the government's ability to collect data on certain money transfers (such as those conducted by the 9/11 hijackers). On the other hand, I also led the fight to get Qwest to change its policies selling customers' personal information to other businesses without their consent. Consumers should not have to affirmatively "opt out" to avoid having their personal information sold on the open market. These issues will become more prominent in the coming years, and Arizona will need a Governor with my experience in dealing with e-commerce businesses, computer and other high technology manufacturers, and consumers. Finally, because e-commerce is a national or international phenomenon, Arizona should attempt to coordinate its policies with those of other jurisdictions, including the federal government, so as to minimize costly and conflicting regulations.

Matt Salmon (Republican, http://www.salmonforgovernor.com/)
(about Matt Salmon...)

Protection of privacy is critical as E-commerce and the ubiquitous movement of information becomes more and more common. Government must dedicate itself to the protection of consumer information and work to stop those who seek to make use of data for nefarious purposes. This is not a new issue. As a Congressman, I authored the Computer Crime Enforcement Act of 1999 that provides $100 million in grants (from the Department of Justice) to local law enforcement officials to teach state and city law enforcement agents how to investigate hi-tech crimes; purchase the necessary equipment to assist in investigation of computer crimes; and train prosecutors to conduct investigations and forensic analysis of evidence in prosecutions of computer crime.

The issue is no less urgent today and we must focus on it. Government must make sure that its sensitive information and systems are not vulnerable and hold the private sector accountable for protecting the information to which it is entrusted. The Federal Government plays a very active role in such matters and it is necessary that the Governor have input to make sure that Arizona priorities and values are reflected in Federal policies.

Finally, law enforcement capabilities must be organized to share information related to investigations, threats, or disaster recovery across federal, state, and local government boundaries. As a Governor with strong local and Federal relationships, I will develop a strategic plan aimed toward:

• Sharing information among federal, state, and local government agencies
• Developing a cohesive, coordinated homeland security and disaster response plan
• Integrating, rather than replacing, current capabilities
• Leveraging new technologies such as facial recognition and biometrics to complement higher-cost human resources where practical.