Taxi Driver Online

Does anyone recall this blunder in 2001?

PRIVACY AND DATA PROTECTION

June 2001

CONFIDENCE AND DATA PROTECTION

Cabbies' health records available online

The confidential medical files of taxi drivers, given as part of an application for a licence, have been published illegally on the Internet. An investigation has been launched by Edinburgh City Council after it was discovered that the sensitive information was available online.

Anyone with access to a computer could find out the names of cab drivers who had their licence applications turned down for health reasons or because they had criminal records. Under the headline "private and confidential - no part of this schedule to be published," similar information about bouncers was also accessible.

The information is normally given at private committee meetings to councillors making decisions on whether to award taxi licences. Names are usually kept out of documents available to the public. The council said the names of a "few dozen" taxi drivers affected by the error had since been removed from the council website, but human rights experts warned that the council was guilty of a major breach of privacy rules and could find itself in court.

City communications leader Councillor Andrew Burns said, "Obviously, a serious error has been made. An investigation is under way to establish how this has happened and make sure it doesn't happen again."
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I think Carlisle must get advice from Edinburgh

Captain Cab

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin