On 21 Feb 04, at 1:34, Alan Stockdale wrote:
> You can of course store original audio data on removable storage and keep
> it in a locked cabinet just as you would analog tapes but I think you are
> right that there is an issue here. Digital recordings make it much easier
> to copy
Our system requires that interviews etc are "immediately" (within
48 hours) compressed, encrypted and transferred to CD by one of
the interviewers and the recording tape wiped in a bulk cleaner;
recording tape awaiting data transfer is kept in secure storage at
our security company. A DVD storage system for audio and video
will be introduced within the next 6 or so months.
The CDs are stored in a walk-in safe; researchers - all are bonded -
who wish to use them must sign for them, are not allowed to make
copies, may not use them on a networked PC or one connected to
the Internet, may not take them out of the offices and have to return
them to the safe at the end of the working day. CDs are kept for a
limited period only and are incinerated by our security company in
the presence of one of our auditors.
Any security breach is grounds for summary dismissal.
The apparently excessive security is the result of a court order
made after we were sued following a security breach. We used to
keep interviews on networked, password protected PCs; these
were hacked into and the hacker (a visiting researcher from Nigeria)
tried to use confidential information about HIV status, sexual
orientation etc to blackmail two interviewees.
Mike
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