Category: Data Protection

The Home Secretary’s statement on DNA retention confidently states “we propose the indefinite retention of DNA profiles of convicted adults”. So far so good as most people, when they think of “convicted adults” think of a burglar, a bank robber or a rapist. However, this is not what the Home Secretary means. He has in mind something far more lowly in the hierarchy of criminal acts to justify indefinite retention of DNA; it includes the actions of people who do

The Human Genetics Commission Chair, Professor Jonathan Montgomery, has asked a simple question: "It is not clear how far holding DNA profiles on a central database improves police investigations?".  The HGC has just published a report containing the damaging allegation that police were arresting individuals in order to populate the DNA database. Well I think I have found the answer to the Professor's question with an analysis of the Government’s own crime statistics. My answer undermines arguments for long DNA retention periods based on

When a data controller says that he is processing personal data for “purpose X”, what does “purpose X” mean in practice? The answer is important because the word “purpose” is used in the legislation to describe the Second, Third, and Fifth data protection principles. For example, suppose a data controller claims that "personal data item Z is relevant to a housing benefit purpose". That claim can objectively be assessed; is the data item relevant or not relevant to the housing

According to press reports in Canada, controversial airport scanners that “see-through” the clothes of travellers have received the blessing of Canada's Privacy Commissioner. An assistant Federal Privacy Commissioner has told the press that Canada’s National Air Security Agency has successfully answered all questions about individual privacy. The proposal has stirred controversy in the UK because the scanners produce a three-dimensional outline of an individual’s naked body. However, under the plans approved by Canada’s Federal Privacy Commissioner, the officer viewing the

Data sharing – simple isn’t it: “data share” rhymes with “data care” and “nightmare”. Anyway this is an unashamed plug for a book that contains a chapter on data sharing written by yours truly. To assist the general data protection community, I have placed a checklist of what should appear in a protocol on http://www.amberhawk.com/policydoc.asp   under the heading: “Data sharing protocol checklist – 2009”. The checklist applies to public and private sectors. The book is entitled “Data Protection for Financial