Senators Seek ‘Bork Bill’ on Privacy

The privacy of Americans must be protected from prying eyes, senators said Tuesday in filing a “son of Bork” bill to bar the disclosure of what videotapes people rent or what library books they borrow.

The nickname for the bill comes from former appeals court Judge Robert H. Bork. A newspaper, during hearings last year on whether to elevate Bork to the Supreme Court, printed a list of tapes Bork had rented. Sponsors of the bill said it was an outrage that such records would become public.

“We want to keep this from becoming an epidemic,” said Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.), one of the bill’s sponsors. The measure would bar disclosure of what people buy or rent from the nation’s 30,000 video stores as well as what items they borrow from libraries. Individuals could file federal lawsuits for monetary damages if the material is released. An exception is allowed when the information is demanded through a court order.