Long before the invention of the general-purpose computer, bureaucrats and researchers had begun gathering and cross-tabulating sets of numbers about populations—heights, weights, ages, sexes, races, political parties, incomes—using punch cards and tabulating machines. Sergey Brin said "Auto insurance companies analyse accident data and set insurance rates of individuals according to age, gender, vehicle type,” he pointed out. “If they were allowed to by law, they would also use race, religion, handicap, and any other attributes they find are related to accident rate.”