Privacy chief wants new criminal offence – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 29th, 2008 in data protection, news by sally

“Information Commissioner Richard Thomas has asked the Government to create a new offence of recklessly or knowing breaching data protection principles punishable by unlimited fines. He has also asked for other powers to be strengthened.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 29th January 2008

Source: www.out-law.com

‘Double standard’ on data safety – BBC News

Posted January 26th, 2008 in data protection, news by sally

“Concerns about data security have been raised after it emerged celebrities, Royals and MPs are blocked from submitting income tax returns online.”

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BBC News, 26th January 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Revenue squeezes banks for offshore accounts – The Times

Posted January 26th, 2008 in banking, data protection, HM Revenue & Customs, news, tax evasion by sally

“HM Revenue & Customs has stepped up its campaign to force banks to release the names of thousands of customers with offshore accounts as part of its fight against tax evasion, despite fears that it may be overstepping its legal powers.”

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The Times, 25th January 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Court case data CDs lost in post – BBC News

Posted January 23rd, 2008 in data protection, government departments, news by sally

“Four CDs containing personal details from court cases have gone missing in the post, the government has admitted.”

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BBC News, 23rd January 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

MoD admits inquiry into 69 lost laptops – The Guardian

Posted January 22nd, 2008 in data protection, government departments, news by sally

“The Ministry of Defence is investigating the reported loss of 69 laptops and seven personal computers over the past year, officials revealed yesterday, as Whitehall staff were banned from removing laptops containing sensitive data from their offices.”

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The Guardian, 22nd January 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MoD to be quizzed over lost data – BBC News

Posted January 21st, 2008 in data protection, government departments, news by sally

“The information watchdog is to grill the Ministry of Defence over its data protection policies after it lost the personal details of 600,000 people.”

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BBC News, 19th January 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Carphone Warehouse broke Data Protection Act, says ICO – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 17th, 2008 in data protection, news by sally

“The Carphone Warehouse allowed customers to view other people’s account details, passed inaccurate information on to debt collectors and opened accounts in the wrong name, according to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).”

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OUT-LAW.com, 17th January 2008

Source: www.out-law.com

FBI wants instant access to British identity data – The Guardian

Posted January 15th, 2008 in data protection, news by sally

“Senior British police officials are talking to the FBI about an international database to hunt for major criminals and terrorists.”

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The Guardian, 15th January 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Police DNA data review launched – BBC News

Posted January 9th, 2008 in data protection, DNA, news by sally

“The government has launched an inquiry into the way the national police DNA database is used to fight crime.”

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BBC News, 9th January 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Whitehall should be prosecuted over data loss, say MPs in call for new law – The Times

Posted January 3rd, 2008 in data protection, government departments, news by sally

“MPs are calling for new offences to allow Whitehall departments to be prosecuted for data security blunders such as the loss of child benefit records for 25 million people.”

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The Times, 3rd January 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

HMRC loses data on 6,000 pension holders – The Guardian

Posted December 18th, 2007 in data protection, HM Revenue & Customs, news by sally

“HM Revenue and Customs became embroiled in another data scandal today after it emerged that it lost personal details of 6,000 private pension holders.”

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The Guardian, 18th December 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Civil servants face prison for leaving the public vulnerable to dangers of identity theft – The Times

Posted December 18th, 2007 in civil servants, data protection, news by sally

“Civil servants face being jailed for gross failures to safeguard citizens’ personal information under a clampdown following the disappearance of two discs that held the child benefit records of 25 million people.”

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The Times, 18th December 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Personal details of millions of learner drivers lost by contractor in Iowa – The Guardian

Posted December 18th, 2007 in data protection, news by sally

“The government yesterday revealed another disturbing loss of citizens’ data when the transport secretary disclosed that a computer disc had gone missing that contained the records of more than 3 million driving test applicants, including their names, home addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers.”

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The Guardian, 18th December 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Norwich Union fined £1.26m over security lapse – The Guardian

Posted December 17th, 2007 in data protection, news by sally

“Norwich Union has been fined £1.26m for failing to protect customers’ personal details after fraudsters were able to steal £3.3m from policyholders, the City watchdog said today.”

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The Guardian, 17th December 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Data sharing review consultation – Ministry of Justice

Posted December 12th, 2007 in consultations, data protection by sally

“Richard Thomas and Dr Mark Walport are conducting a consultation on the use and sharing of personal information in the public and private sectors as part of their independent Data Sharing Review.”

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Ministry of Justice, 12th December 2007

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Organisations should run privacy impact assessments, says ICO – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 11th, 2007 in data protection, news, privacy by sally

“Organisations must consider the impact on individuals’ privacy before developing new IT systems or changing the way they handle personal information, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) will urge today.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 11th December 2007

Source: www.out-law.com

Santa ignores children’s refund rights, warn experts – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 11th, 2007 in children, data protection, news by sally

“Santa Claus’s failure to alert children to their rights to full refunds within seven working days under the Distance Selling Regulations is in breach of those rules, an expert has warned.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 11th December 2007

Source: www.out-law.com

Santa putting children’s information at risk, warn experts – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 10th, 2007 in children, data protection, news by sally

“Santa Claus could be breaking privacy laws in his collection and use of data about British children, experts have warned. Yuletide cheer-bringer Claus could be putting the personal data of millions of children at risk.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 10th December 2007

Source: www.out-law.com

Changes to data protection laws ‘will give company bosses the shivers’ – The Times

Posted December 7th, 2007 in data protection, news by sally

“MPs are considering changes to the law that would make chief executives directly responsible for safeguarding the public’s personal data and make the improper or careless treatment of personal information a criminal offence.”

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The Times, 7th December 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Seven security breaches at Tax Office since 2005, says chief – The Times

Posted December 6th, 2007 in data protection, HM Revenue & Customs, news by sally

“HM Revenue & Customs has suffered seven ‘significant’ breaches of security involving the loss of personal data in the past 2½ years, the organisation’s new acting chairman disclosed yesterday.”

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The Times, 6th December 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk