Case study in data protection disaster: EOn passes customers' mobile numbers to complained-off subcontractor without permission

An email sent to EOn today:

"Dear sirs

Have you entirely lost your minds? You passed my MOBILE NUMBER to your subcontractor G4S without my permission? Have you ever heard of data protection and consent? Unbelievable.

In response to your impertinent email asking me to set up a DD, please advise Ali Omar that he needs training in how to adopt a professional email manner. 

"Hi Chris and thanks for your email.

I'm sorry for any inconvenience caused by the 07.45 meter reader's knock on your door.

Your meter was supposed to be read between 26/04/2013 and 13/05/2013, but the meter readers are meant to work between 8am and 8pm. I've forwarded your query to the relevant department and they advised me they'll address this issue with the meter readers to make sure they understand and won't repeat that again. I trust this answers your query.

In the meantime, I wonder if you thought about setting up a monthly Direct Debit (DD) on your account. We prefer and recommend this payment method as it gives you a great deal of control of your finances, as well as we offer a healthy discount for customers paying by DD. You can find out more about our Direct Debit policy by visiting www.eonenergy.com/directdebit. May I wish you a great and a profitable afternoon!

Kind regards,

Ali Omar

Customer Service"

Note that this is the same G4S meter reader which I had flagged up as a potential burglar due to the dawn call. Which planet does this multinational company and its idiot customer service rep actually live on? Their reply email below was breath-takingly ignorant.

Food and drink firms undermining public health policy, say scientists

Food and drink firms undermining public health policy, say scientists | Society | guardian.co.uk: "Moodie and colleagues say that the food and drink industries should be treated like the tobacco industry - as companies with too much of a vested interest in the sale of unhealthy products to help curb the epidemic of disease. They must have no role in the formulation of national or international policy, they say. "Regulation, or the threat of regulation, is the only way to change these transnational corporations. The industry must be put under pressure if it is to change." 'via Blog this'

Victory for the Mail! Kind of opt-in filtering for parents who want it

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‘Clearly, like many others I thought an opt-in was the simplest and best way to do it,’ she said. ‘But you have to listen when you do consultations. It is clear people think that more needs to be done, but there isn’t a majority in favour of an automatic block. If you have proper age verification systems, then I think this new system will put us a long way ahead of the rest of the world.
‘As near as damn it, we have got what we want and most campaigners are quite happy. The industry has, with a few notable exceptions, been quite slow but there is now good momentum. It will be my job to make sure it all gets implemented.’"
The Mail hasn't won this big since....well let's not mention the war. 'via Blog this'

Regulating Code: Court Approves Google's Privacy Settlement

Regulating Code: Court Approves Google's Privacy Settlement: RegBlog : "A federal court recently approved the $22.5 million settlement reached three months ago between Google and the Federal Trade Comm...

Ofcom study reveals 16% of UK internet users guilty of infringement would change after letter

Online copyright infringement: Ofcom study reveals one in six UK internet users guilty of infringement: "Fewer than one in four UK internet users that engaged in copyright infringing activity during a three month period earlier this year said they would be put off from repeating the offence if they knew they would receive a letter to tell them that their internet access was to be suspended as a result of the behaviour, according to a new study commissioned by Ofcom." 'via Blog this'

Australian coalition eyes co-regulatory content kill-switch on social networks

Coalition eyes content kill-switch on social networks - iTnews.com.au: "The federal opposition is canvassing a co-regulatory proposal to force social media networks to remove content deemed "likely to cause harm to an Australian child".
The coalition today released a discussion paper on issues of child safety on the internet, brought about by consultations through its Online Safety Working Group formed earlier this year. One of its key suggestions is to set up a "Children's e-Safety Commissioner" or similar body to coordinate "a national response to online safety". Among other responsibilities, the commissioner could be responsible for administering a "co-operative regulatory scheme that applies to large online social media outlets operating in Australia"." 'via Blog this'

Correspondence between BIS, Professor Garratt and Nominet officials 2008-9 -FoI request

Correspondence between BIS, Professor Garratt and Nominet officials 2008-9 - a Freedom of Information request to Department for Business, Innovation and Skills - WhatDoTheyKnow: "From: FOI Requests: Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
20 September 2012 BIS ref: IR/12/1248
Dear Professor Chris Marsden,
Thank you for your request for an internal review which was received on 20 September 2012. Your request has been passed on to the appropriate official at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to deal with.
Kind regards, Information Rights Unit" 'via Blog this'