Search

The article explains the security checks that purchasers in Great Britain should carry out before buying a database, to save time and avoid costly litigation. It reveals that there are several issues buyers should consider before buying a database to ensure they get what they pay for. The article emphasizes the need to ensure that the database attracts "database right" protection.

The author offers opinions on the announcement by Alistair Dunning, Chancellor of the Exchequer of Great Britain, that the government had lost computer disks containing personal information on some 25 million citizens. Large databases are essential to modern government and business operations, but slipshod security threatens the privacy of individuals, exposing them to identity theft. The government is urged to submit its information security to independent regulation

The article presents information on the ContactPoint system, a student information database to be launched by the British government in 2008. The intent of the system is to allow organizations serving children to share information, but critics worry that the information could be accessed by pedophiles and unauthorized people. Vulnerable pupils have asked that photographs and telephone numbers never be added to the database.