A recent news report revealed that Mitt Romney's campaign is utilizing secretive data-mining of Americans' private information to help identify potential new and likely campaign donors.

The data-mining, performed by an analytics firm with ties to Bain & Co. (Romney's old company), sifts through personal information that includes purchasing habits and even church attendance.

Technology makes data-mining possible, but that certainly does not mean it should be used. The exception might be for national security, and even then it could be questionable due to concerns about violations of privacy.

Romney said he would not release his tax returns because of the personal information on those tax returns. And yet he seemingly has no problem with the compilation of others' personal information. I find the whole thing disturbing.

If Romney is willing to use data-mining for personal benefit as a candidate, I shudder to think what he might allow if he gets elected to our highest office.

Gordon Bellows

Draper