Data Protection Laws - apply to the forum?

[Jacko_G]

Just wondering?

Revealing information about someone when there is no requirement? Maybe the powers to be need to take a look at what is acceptable and what is not.

 

[Hobbit]

Depends what the information is and how its stored. Truthfully, the laws on Data Protection are huge, and many organisations are not controlling them anywhere near to the correct level. Sadly, those that do it correctly are being labelled unco-operative.

 

[Khamelion]

Not sure how the powers that be, could control data posted within the forum. This is a self policing public forum, the operative word being public, the comments and posts within the forum walls are the sole opinion of the persons typing up new posts and replying to existing posts.

Posting up personal details of a forum member, without their permission would be wrong, which, to some extent is why there is a PM facility, so telephone numbers, addresses etc can be exchanged privately. Posting up someone's home address and/or telephone number I would imagine get taken down by the mods at the first opportunity the mods would have. Unless there is a specific reason and/or request for said information to be on public display.

However once that info has been posted up the information would fall under the data protection act and that personal information should only be accessible and useable by the person it pertains to.** The information would then be being held on the forum servers and the DPA may be applicable to the information that had been posted, regardless of whether the information was still viewable in the public domain, or whether the post containing said personal information had been taken removed. The obvious exception are data controllers who maintain the system.

As Hobbit wrote the DPA is very complex and very often misunderstood or misinterpreted.

** As above, I've probably misinterpreted the act as well.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Isn't any information posted on the public forum do so by the person anyway ? I can't recall any time when someone information has been posted without a person's consent ?

 

[Tashyboy]

Isn't any information posted on the public forum do so by the person anyway ? I can't recall any time when someone information has been posted without a person's consent ?

Oh I don't know phil someone called you a doorknob the other week, and am sure they never asked you. Had to change me tennas laughing at that one

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Oh I don't know phil someone called you a doorknob the other week, and am sure they never asked you. Had to change me tennas laughing at that one

But thats an opinion, not Information

the only information that is shown for everyone is their Forum Name, their join date and their post count. everything else is either freely given in a signature, or you can choose what not to display in settings. ie Location

Dont think it is a Data Protection issue at all

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Oh I don't know phil someone called you a doorknob the other week, and am sure they never asked you. Had to change me tennas laughing at that one

Must have missed that post

 

[Beezerk]

Must have missed that post

You missed a post on this forum?

:thup:

 

[Tashyboy]

But thats an opinion, not Information

the only information that is shown for everyone is their Forum Name, their join date and their post count. everything else is either freely given in a signature, or you can choose what not to display in settings. ie Location

Dont think it is a Data Protection issue at all

Thanks for putting me right phil 😁👍

 

[Deleted member 15344]

You missed a post on this forum?

:thup:

There is lots I miss and don't read :thup:

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Why? Surely anything is put on here is done so by free volition

 

[Foxholer]

Why? Surely anything is put on here is done so by free volition

You are looking at it from the wrong angle!

If someone puts someone else's personal info - like a phone number, email etc - then that's a possible breach of the DPA!

However, if I were to suggest that someone in your particular work role - something you have already published several times - should be rather more aware of this sort of thing, then I don't believe I am!

 

[john0]

Oh I don't know phil someone called you a doorknob the other week, and am sure they never asked you. Had to change me tennas laughing at that one

Must have missed that post

There was more than one post Phil

 

[Deleted member 15344]

There was more than one post Phil

Have no doubt about that :thup:

 

[Oxfordcomma]

You are looking at it from the wrong angle!

If someone puts someone else's personal info - like a phone number, email etc - then that's a possible breach of the DPA!

However, if I were to suggest that someone in your particular work role - something you have already published several times - should be rather more aware of this sort of thing, then I don't believe I am!

I don't see how that could be a breach unless they have obtained that information through work, and it is therefore subject to data protection? If I have a forumer's phone number because he gave it to me, and I post it up on here, then it's very very rude but I haven't broken data protection laws. If MikeH or one of the mods has access to private data from our profiles, and puts it up, that's when it potentially becomes a breach of data protection.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

You are looking at it from the wrong angle!

If someone puts someone else's personal info - like a phone number, email etc - then that's a possible breach of the DPA!

However, if I were to suggest that someone in your particular work role - something you have already published several times - should be rather more aware of this sort of thing, then I don't believe I am!

If someone else posted my details on here, without permission, I'd definitely want to know why but not sure I'd be quoting DP rules at them. Just want to know why they did

 

[Foxholer]

I don't see how that could be a breach unless they have obtained that information through work, and it is therefore subject to data protection? If I have a forumer's phone number because he gave it to me, and I post it up on here, then it's very very rude but I haven't broken data protection laws. If MikeH or one of the mods has access to private data from our profiles, and puts it up, that's when it potentially becomes a breach of data protection.

My understanding is that it's the GM Forum that would have breached the DPA - as the organisation that provides the environment on which the private data was published!

You are correct however - in that the DPA applies to 'organisations, businesses and the government' and not to individuals. That's why it would be the Forum's responsibility to remove the personal data - certainly if requested.

If someone else posted my details on here, without permission, I'd definitely want to know why but not sure I'd be quoting DP rules at them. Just want to know why they did

If they declined to remove it, then you could use reference to the DPA to require it to be removed by Forum management! But yes, it's unlikely that you would need to actually do that anyway - it was a (supposedly) deliberately trivial example.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Besides your friendly neighbourhood moderators would swiftly remove anything like mobile numbers, email addresses that were posted maliciously

Rest easy people, The Mods are looking after your interests

 

[Tashyboy]

Besides your friendly neighbourhood moderators would swiftly remove anything like mobile numbers, email addresses that were posted maliciously

Rest easy people, The Mods are looking after your interests

and that phil is quite comforting. 👌

Who needs big brother when we have " Big Phils"

Note more than one phil 😁

 

[vkurup]

IMO, It is not your post that is a problem (as it is posted by you on a PUBLIC forum). However GM and therefore Time is responsible for keeping the rest of your identity ie. date of birth or email address that you provide safely. Also PMs would be private. So if someone gave their bank details for payment for purchase or forum meets via PMs then that would be private.
Finally, just because it is no longer seen, it is highly likely that the GM team holds archives or backups which may contain PMs that are deleted by the user and therefore should be kept safely. I dont know where the servers are Europe or US? Given the low levels of personal data on this (I am assuming that driving distances are not really personal info). I am assuming that GM does not have a Safe Harbor issues re this forum..