Saturday, April 19, 2014

This is insane

What is it with public services that they now feel the need to share out our personal data, even with the proviso that it will be anonymous? You'd think they'd know that trust in them is at an all time low because of the low standards that they have maintained in recent years. Also there's the fear that with many things they do that this is the thin end of the wedge.
BBC.
Taxpayers' personal data could be shared with private firms under plans drawn up by Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
If given the go-ahead it would allow HMRC to release anonymous tax data to third parties including companies, researchers and public bodies.
But former Conservative minister David Davis told the Guardian the plans were "borderline insane".
An HMRC spokesman said "no final decisions" had been taken, and it was committed to "confidentiality".
The newspaper reported that "charging options" were being examined by officials, suggesting that firms could pay to access the data.
But concern has been raised over the plans in the wake of the Care.data initiative - a proposed anonymous sharing of NHS medical records - which is currently suspended after fears were raised as to exactly what information would remain anonymous.
I don't think that whoever came up with this insane scheme realises what can be done and extrapolated in an electronic environment and I rather suspect that it's money making on the part of those seeking such data rather than statistical analysis. I also believe that somehow or other the headline that actual names and addresses have been  'accidentally' released will crop up sooner or later.
Simply put, whenever I see a headline that some public body wants to release private data to interested parties I want to opt out straight away, same as I did with my doctor and the 'Care Data' fiasco. What's mine is mine and whilst I have allowed those public bodies to hold it, they have no right to offer it to anyone else, simply because I can't trust them or know just exactly what it is they are selling and whether they are going to change the rules and assume consent once its given to be a permanent thing.
The answer is and always must be no!

1 annotations:

Jonty said...

Hear, hear! 945