If the vehicle has been licenced,, the licence is public record. Either by Vin, or licence plate number anybody can request through D.O.L the registered owner's name. It's the same with who owns what property. Anyone can research find the parcel number and find out exactly who owns it.

 Heppa laws, Hospital records and such about your medical condition is completely different situation. Medical records can not be released,, but vehicle registrations,, it's public record.

It sounds like knee jerk blow back from the State that was publicially posting on it's web site a photographed copy of EVERYONE who got a traffic ticket. There was everything on the citation, Name, dob, home address, home phone, SOC number, (as some states use a person's SOC # for a DOL number, (really stupid idea!) etc.etc.etc..   SUPER IGNORANT move by the State involved,, they did release private personal information !!  It seems like it was Illonios or some such state. Anyway,,  *bunch of DUMMIES*!!  

But this sounds like just as big a knee jerk blowback the other way,, Car Dealers not telling who previously owned a vehicle. 

Either that,, or there's allot of vehicle Dealers trying to pawn off Ex Katrina "bottom of the swimming pool" Krap Cars and not divulging the real history on vehicles.

 THere were 100's of Vehicles submergeg when the Chalasis River caused the big Flood in Western Washington,, the First thing the State Attorney General warned everyone about was unknowingly buying EX submerged vehicles from the disaster area.  Well known SCAM in WA.. Watch SUPER CLOSE for EX submerged JUNKERS being sold as good vehicles !!!

If I'm putting a bunch of Money on a vehicle and a Dealer refuses to tell me the vehicle history....  Me and my money goes else where.  It's that simple.

You wouldn't buy a house etc.. without knowing it's history of ownership etc.. Vehicles are the same..  Shinny paint doesn't mean it wasn't submerged at some other dealership like N.O.  "swimming pool"....

just my 2 cents..