This is a very interesting story. Guy gets charged with a misdomeaner. The charge is dismissed. Clerk at the State doesn't update the file. A million data reporting services copy the bad information. Apartment complex won't rent to him as a result.

Problem 1: Once bad information gets out there about you there is no way to clean it up.

Problem 2: The rapidly falling costs associated with criminal background checks mean that everyone is going to be checked for everything. Renting an apartment? Getting a loan? Applying for a job? Hope you weren't convicted of a misdomeaner 10 years ago. Otherwise you're out of luck.

File this along side eliminating felon's right to vote as a process thats based on the enormously stupid idea that there is a clear distinction between "normal people" and the "criminal class" and if you are part of the "criminal class" you cannot be trusted with anything again for the rest of your life. These policies actually serve to create that class, because the people who are added to it don't have the option of living a legitimate life after the fact. This, of course, produces more crime and social strife, and the cycle continues.

Exhiling people who are still living in your society is a recipie for disaster.

Boing Boing: Bad info in background check database nixes apartment application