Well done DVLA

[GastonJ]

Hundreds of local authorities have been banned from accessing the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Agency (DVLA) database for not using it properly.

Councils trawl the database of every registered driver in the UK to find the addresses of motorists refusing to pay parking fines, among other things.

But the DVLA regularly checks for security and other breaches.

It has temporarily banned 294 bodies since 2009, including local councils, Sussex Police and Transport for London.

In addition, 38 organisations have been permanently banned over the same three-year period, including some the UK's biggest local authorities such as Camden, Southwark and Brighton and Hove.

Full story

BBC News - DVLA bans councils from database over abuses

I would hope the government doesn't interfere with this, although I suspect they will. While they don't detail exactly what abuses of access take place at least DVLA is monitoring and proactively removing their access. With government hell bent on storing more and more information about people I hope the custodians of the information are at least as proactive as staff at DVLA rather than just handing over access to information at request. Maybe not a shining example, but at least it's progress.

I know in the past I've been asked to give out information to 3rd parties for which the information was not collected for and held my ground, despite my company insisting I pass the information across. I usually quote the data protection act and ask them to get it me the request in writing - puts them off no end.

There seems to be a failure to understand that just because you have the information and that the requester is a "nice 3rd party, who would never abuse the information" that it's ok to give it out. It's not. Information collected for a specific purpose should never be used for any other purpose, which includes passing it around.

[Meat-Head]

OFF TOPIC:-

OK, so can you explain more about the data prtection act please.

I got a call on my cell phone from some scum bag, they have something as he said "Is that Meat-Head" rather than "hello there"

He got a large gobfull of abuse for having my user name and cell phone number, i asked for his head office phone number, which seems to be N/A nor is the one he called me on.

If can be bothered will call them and give them abuse.

[GastonJ]

Best link for you

Personal Information and Official Information - Advice For The Public - ICO

I always err on the side of caution when being asked to extract information we hold to give to 3rd parties, and always ask "is the information I'm being asked to give out a) sensitive (containing personal information) and b) was it collected for that purpose?" Then I ask the same of the colleague requesting it's extraction. I may be out of date, I don't read all updates, but if the answers are "No" then they have their own answer and I won't move on it without the CEO writing to me.

On another note though, DVLA probably don't have that much information anyway, they keep losing it. If you have to renew your license take a photo copy it and have it signed by someone else before sending your old one back.

And on another note I believe CCTV footage is also subject to data protection act, or way. You can demand your images

[Meat-Head]

On another note though, DVLA probably don't have that much information anyway, they keep losing it. If you have to renew your license take a photo copy it and have it signed by someone else before sending your old one back.

And on another note I believe CCTV footage is also subject to data protection act, or way. You can demand your images

Yes there was a couple of years ago some thick lorry drivers and thick bus drivers unable to work as their phto licesnses did not have bus and lorry back on.

CCTV yes 30 days must keep for, bussiness have to regsaitar and pay for ?? per yera

[GastonJ]

Yes there was a couple of years ago some thick lorry drivers and thick bus drivers unable to work as their phto licesnses did not have bus and lorry back on.

CCTV yes 30 days must keep for, bussiness have to regsaitar and pay for ?? per yera

So business pay the council , or whoever, to enable them to keep images of people who walk in/past? When do I get my cut from the council?

[Meat-Head]

So business pay the council , or whoever, to enable them to keep images of people who walk in/past? When do I get my cut from the council?

OFF TOPIC:-

Not sure, but rumor has it illegal to have camera in the street/recording the street. Can only guess it's to keep the identities of the rumors secure.