Info Commissioner pleads with Tories to jail data thieves
The data protection watchdog has strongly urged an incoming Tory government to quickly bring in jail sentences for data thieves, after the current government reneged on the idea. Christopher Graham, the Information Commissioner, campaigned last year for custodial powers already on the statute books under the Data Protection Act …
All bark and no bite. When the anti-spam regulations came into force a few years back, their reaction to formal complaints was to offer a listwashing service to spammers.
Really? And he thinks they are going to do something?
Hmm... Let's see how much did the construction industry contribute to the campaign...
... how many politicians, bureaucrats and civil servants might end up in pokey if this became law?
"there has been remarkable reluctance by ministers."
There's been 'remarkable reluctance' by the ICO to use what powers they already have to act against corporate criminals who refuse to register under the DPA / fail to process data fairly or lawfully / maliciously abuse private/confidential communication traffic.
If you're looking for remarkable failure, Chris Graham, you could start here;
http://www.ico.gov.uk/about_us.aspx
As it stands, the only people who can expect to attract the marshmallow like wrath of ICO are the data controller and the tea leaves. People who subsequently obtain data that has been leaked or stolen and then make use of it - the Graun publishing the BNP membership list, HMRC rifling through stolen bank records, etc - get away scot free.
Receiving personal data that aint yours should also be an offence, and one of strict liability, IMHO. Public interest exemptions for scumbag expense fiddlers, obviously, as there are in the current legislation.
No such thing as good public servants. Only bad public servants and those who protect them.
Rule number 1 of politics: Lawmakers don't go to jail; unless there is really no other choice but to sacrifice them.
"I've got teeth, really, I mean like proper teeth. Please don't send me to the knackers yard like an old nag." It's remarkable how the prospect of a general election is concentrating the minds of so many quangos. Perhaps the people should have them more often.
So, you can't get locked up for violence, but you can for annoying a business?
