UK Government Accidentally Doxxes Award Winners (theguardian.com) 27
More than 1,000 celebrities, government employees and politicians recognized in the U.K.'s traditional New Year's Honours list this year "have had their home and work addresses posted on a government website," reports the Guradian.
Shimbo (Slashdot reader #100,005) quotes their report: The accidental disclosure of the tranche of personal details is likely to be considered a significant security breach, particularly as senior police and Ministry of Defence staff were among those whose addresses were made public.
Many of the more than a dozen Ministry of Defence employees and senior counter-terrorism officers who received honours had their home addresses revealed, along with countless others who may believe the disclosure has put them in a vulnerable position.
Prominent public figures including the musician Elton John, the cricketer Ben Stokes, NHS England's chief executive, Simon Stevens, the politicians Iain Duncan Smith and Diana Johnson, TV chef Nadiya Hussain, and the former director of public prosecutions Alison Saunders were among those whose home addresses were published...
The vast majority of people on the list had their house numbers, street names and postcodes included.
The director of the non-profit privacy group Big Brother Watch expressed concerns to the Guardian that the government "doesn't have a basic grip on data protection, and that people receiving some of the highest honours have been put at risk because of this.
"It's a farcical and inexcusable mistake, especially given the new Data Protection Act passed by the government last year -- it clearly can't stick by its rules."
Shimbo (Slashdot reader #100,005) quotes their report: The accidental disclosure of the tranche of personal details is likely to be considered a significant security breach, particularly as senior police and Ministry of Defence staff were among those whose addresses were made public.
Many of the more than a dozen Ministry of Defence employees and senior counter-terrorism officers who received honours had their home addresses revealed, along with countless others who may believe the disclosure has put them in a vulnerable position.
Prominent public figures including the musician Elton John, the cricketer Ben Stokes, NHS England's chief executive, Simon Stevens, the politicians Iain Duncan Smith and Diana Johnson, TV chef Nadiya Hussain, and the former director of public prosecutions Alison Saunders were among those whose home addresses were published...
The vast majority of people on the list had their house numbers, street names and postcodes included.
The director of the non-profit privacy group Big Brother Watch expressed concerns to the Guardian that the government "doesn't have a basic grip on data protection, and that people receiving some of the highest honours have been put at risk because of this.
"It's a farcical and inexcusable mistake, especially given the new Data Protection Act passed by the government last year -- it clearly can't stick by its rules."
Re:Well, I gotta admit (Score:5, Informative)
I am one of the lucky 1000, and have just got the letter from Sir Jonathan Stephens which apologises for the breach.
I wonder if there will be a class action? That would be pretty embarrassing for all concerned so I don't think it will happen. Esp as we have not actually received our awards yet, we will be invited to an investiture to given them by a senior member of the royal family (although we are allowed to use the title / letters now)
btw the people on the list are by and large not the wealthy elite. While I think this used to be the case, a lot of work goes on behind the scenes to make sure that the recipients are legitimate. I certainly never thought I would get a gong.
To get on the list you have to have achieved something, and this usually means giving up your own time for the public good, and if people suspect you are gong-hunting i.e." look at me doing charity work" then that will disqualify you.
Whether or not to have these type of awards is debatable, but it seems most countries have them in some form (although maybe not referencing their Empire!). I saw a quote from ?Rothschild
1 never seek an honour
2 if an honour is offered, then accept it with grace
3 never ever wear an honour
Happy new year !
Re: (Score:2)
btw the people on the list are by and large not the wealthy elite.
Perhaps I didn't read far enough into the ist - before posting I did look through the first several pages of the awardees, it certainly seemed to be dominated by OBEs, "Sir"s, and a lot of Dr. head-of-this and Professor director-of-that.
But I do apologize for disparaging the honor you've been awarded, and congratulate you on receiving it - the honor, not the doxxing. :-D
Re: (Score:1)
That depends on whether Britain becomes part of the United States after Brexit. It's a little hard to believe you're on the list if you think there's a chance of a class action lawsuit in the United Kingdom.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
My commiserations, you are joining the ranks of scumbags like Ian Duncan Smith. Or you could just refuse it, tell them it's outdated and little more than a reward for doing their dirty work in many cases.
Re: (Score:2)
Example: When I was at University I spent some time volunteering with the British Red Cross. There was a lady who worked as a secretary in the local office who had been there on a very modest wage (this is a charity, remember) for 30 odd years. As she
Re: (Score:2)
Maybe it's not so nice. But fuck it, information wants to be free. If someone wants to find you and knows your name, it'll happen anyway.
Lol, someone getting a promotion! (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
The "promotion" will be for the UK team that brings back the advanced "buddy" system to the UK gov from the NSA after 6 months of gov/mil study in Hawaii.
Two UK gov workers looking over a computer file would not make the same mistake next year...
Ahh, government (Score:2)
Nothing like the ultimate store of personal information on literally everyone, guarded by the lowest paid and among the most ill-respected members of society.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Were these people not in the phone book?
More than 1,000 celebrities, government employees and politicians
What do you think?
Go look up the direct phone number for Mel Gibson or Cher.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
It is though possible to stand in an election without publishing your home address. Iain Duncan Smith is indeed the only candidate in your constituency whose address actually does appear on the statement of persons nominated and notice of poll posted on the Waltham Forest site.
Not that I believe for a moment that he actually lives in a small flat above a halal fried chicken shop opposite a railway station.
Apply the GPDR fine (Score:2)
4% of annual global turnover...
Re: (Score:2)
For those who don't know... (Score:2)
The "Honours List" supposed recognizes the people who have performed great or exceptional service to the nation of the UK as a whole. Until just recently, all bureaucrats of a certain career length and rank automatically received this "honour".
To help you understand what sort of person dominates these lists, Alison Saunders [independent.co.uk] is the former head of the Crown Prosecution Service who was forced to resign steps ahead of the law when it came out she wad worked closely with rape accusers to suppress evidence, fram
1960-1970 paperwork is looking good (Score:1)
Went for the internet, the cloud, a computer OS connected the the cloud and the internet
Now its really on the internet
If the resulting data set is a new collection nation level secrets
Have a contact list
A list for the media/press... to publish.
If "Ministry of Defence e