The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is urging local authorities in Scotland to protect residents from identity theft by restricting the amount of personal information, such as phone numbers and signatures, that is published on their websites.
The ICO has recently upheld a complaint by a member of the public against Perth and Kinross Council, which had published his signature on the internet. Ken Macdonald, Assistant Commissioner for Scotland at the ICO, has written to all Scottish local authorities to remind them of their obligations under the Data Protection Act.
Ken Macdonald said: “In an age where the threat of identity theft is increasingly real, individuals must be able to trust organisations to look after their personal information. Public authorities have a legal obligation to keep residents’ personal information secure. In addition, individuals should be informed which elements of their personal information will be published on the Internet.”
Local authorities have an obligation to publish certain information, such as details of planning applications or applications for various trading licences, some of which will include individuals’ personal information. However, it is important that they do not publish other personal information unnecessarily as this may breach the Data Protection Act.
