Firms in 'horrifying' privacy breaches: watchdog

AFP, July, 2007

LONDON (AFP) — The information commissioner on Wednesday hit out at a number of banks and government departments for "horrifying" breaches of the country's data protection rules.

Richard Thomas identified banks such as Barclays and NatWest, mobile phone giant Orange and the Department of Health and the Foreign Office for security lapses that allowed confidential personal data to be accessed by others.

"The roll call of banks, retailers, government departments, public bodies and other organisations which have admitted serious security lapses is frankly horrifying," he said in his annual report.

Thomas's office was set up to promote access to official information and protect personal information as well as take appropriate action when the law is broken.

In the financial year April 1, 2006 to March 31, 2007, it received nearly 24,000 enquiries and complaints about personal information ...