KERCHING!!...
I`ve been intrigued to see reports that the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) have been selling the personal details of licence holders to all manner of individuals and`organizations,`some of which might be classed as `legitimate,` but others perhaps not so. The instances of personal details being disclosed are quite staggering. For example, the DVLA has sold the names and addresses of 4.85million drivers to parking enforcement firms alone in the past six years - at a charge of £2.50 for each detail supplied.
Requests for such information amounted to 9.5million in the past year with the vast majority (7.8million) coming from the police and local authorities, presumably following up cases - assisting them with their enquiries if you like. It`s a paying business for the DVLA, who rather unbelievably claim that they do not make a profit because they are not allowed to.
Now as far as I know, I have committed no parking or driving offence so I would hope that my personal details held by the DVLA have not had cause to be released to any third party. However, should the DVLA receive a request for my details then I would hope that I might be asked to give my permission before they do so. After all, one`s personal details - name, address, age, etc., - are just that; personal and they are mine, no-one else`s to do what they like with.
Those details amount to personal intellectual property and should not be disclosed to anyone else without permission. So I`m surprised there hasn`t been more fuss made about this kind of intrusion into personal information. Yes I know there has been the odd squeal of indignation from the occasional MP, but they have been more concerned with the antics of parking and clamping companies than with the safeguarding of personal information.
One last thought - if the DVLA charge £2,50 for each detail disclosed, then surely any fee should be returned to the person whose details have been sold. Once again, we`ve been sold down the river by yet another dubious practice that simply contributes to bureaucracy getting a bad name.
Requests for such information amounted to 9.5million in the past year with the vast majority (7.8million) coming from the police and local authorities, presumably following up cases - assisting them with their enquiries if you like. It`s a paying business for the DVLA, who rather unbelievably claim that they do not make a profit because they are not allowed to.
Now as far as I know, I have committed no parking or driving offence so I would hope that my personal details held by the DVLA have not had cause to be released to any third party. However, should the DVLA receive a request for my details then I would hope that I might be asked to give my permission before they do so. After all, one`s personal details - name, address, age, etc., - are just that; personal and they are mine, no-one else`s to do what they like with.
Those details amount to personal intellectual property and should not be disclosed to anyone else without permission. So I`m surprised there hasn`t been more fuss made about this kind of intrusion into personal information. Yes I know there has been the odd squeal of indignation from the occasional MP, but they have been more concerned with the antics of parking and clamping companies than with the safeguarding of personal information.
One last thought - if the DVLA charge £2,50 for each detail disclosed, then surely any fee should be returned to the person whose details have been sold. Once again, we`ve been sold down the river by yet another dubious practice that simply contributes to bureaucracy getting a bad name.
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