Government breach their own data protection act

[fergusw]

Just had to share this with everyone, in case you haven't already heard/read it.

The government, who we pay to ensure they produce and uphold the laws to govern the protection of our data (Data Protection Act 1998) to which all businesses have to adhere to for fear of prosectution, have just made a HUGE MISTAKE!

Incompetence does not even come close. This could effect 1/2 of the population!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7103566.stm

[Duncan Rounding]

Amazing. What more can you say.

"Contrary to all HMRC standing proceedures two password protected discs containing a full copy of HMRC's entire data in relation to the payment of child benefit was sent to the National Audit Office by HMRC's internal postal system operated by the courier TNT.

"The package was not recorded or registered."

[fergusw]

Does this mean that 7 million families, 25 million people can claim compensation from the government?

[Mike Hughes]

You can only claim compensation for damages. Unless the data has reached the hands of the fraudsters and they manage to use it there won't be any damages. (Fingers crossed).

Mike

[fergusw]

An individual who suffers distress by reason of any contravention by a data controller of any of the requirements of this Act is entitled to compensation from the data controller for that distress

I'm very distressed about this

[Mark H]

Funny how DEFRA causing the latest foot & mouth outbreak got swept under the carpet isn't it. Alastair Darling has already blamed someone juniorfor this latest b*lls up, so that's alrgiht - we can all move on now.

[Darren B]

OMG

What am i going to do, if its not one thing its another, someone will find out about me, get my address, shit my NI number, oh no

does that sound distressed enough

D

[Darren B]

Funny how DEFRA causing the latest foot & mouth outbreak got swept under the carpet isn't it. Alastair Darling has already blamed someone juniorfor this latest b*lls up, so that's alrgiht - we can all move on now.

but of course, god forbid they would ever take responsibility for it, let some other bugger take the fall, they need to ensure they get a decent consultants job when they give up there position

D

[Mike Hughes]

Tut, tut, fergus, talk about selective reporting:

An individual who suffers distress by reason of any contravention by a data controller of any of the requirements of this Act is entitled to compensation from the data controller for that distress

Here's the full text:

An individual who suffers distress by reason of any contravention by a data controller of any of the requirements of this Act is entitled to compensation from the data controller for that distress if—
(a) the individual also suffers damage by reason of the contravention, or
(b) the contravention relates to the processing of personal data for the special purposes.

Mike

[fergusw]

Tut, tut, fergus, talk about selective reporting:

An eye for an eye

[Mike Hughes]

What I find more disturbing than anything else is the "let's blame a junior official" attitude.

This kind of data should be locked up more securely than the crown jewels. There's no way a junior official should be able to download the whole file onto a disc without someone senior authorising it and making sure it's properly handled.

I'm sure there will be a proper investigation into this and someone senior is going to get their butt kicked.

Mike

[leehack]

If you picture a 'junior' official as a spotty 17 year old then yes, in reality a 'junior' official could be 50 years old or more.

[Mike Hughes]

I'd hope they we're a bit clearer than that. 'Junior' does derive from younger, as opposed to 'minor' which would have meant unimportant.

Mike

[george]

Will they appear on eBay?

[gabrielcrowe]

after i rtfa, i did notice that the discs are password protected?

i wonder on the encryption mechanism.

something strong i hope.

omfg. this data will appear on bittorrent or something if its cracked.