Honestly, I can sympathise with Tim. How much time do we all waste trying to
navigate our way around badly designed websites? Customers are often assumed
to be aware of internal policies and are told they are aggressive at the
slightest testiness! We use machines but we are not machines. I think so
many people suffer from stress because of the 'commercialisation of human
feeling' or dissimulation - trying to be nice when we naturally are angry
and confused.

Jo Archer

----- Original Message -----
From: Simon Howarth (WSL) <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2005 9:23 AM
Subject: Re: [data-protection] Reassuring! There IS a need for privacy
officers!


> To a large extent I agree with Charles.
>
> I agree that the organisation has some questionable practices from what
you
> describe, but in my experience a gentle request for deletion with a
> carefully worded suggestion that I may be able to help them improve their
> processes, has often resulted in constructive dialogue and occasionally
some
> remuneration.
>
> The problem with e-mail that is important to understand is that there is
no
> way to inflect the prose so that you can get across the fact that it is
> meant to be light-hearted or just that you are simply being thorough. I
> always recommend that people try to re-read their e-mails and try to think
> how the recipient will take the e-mail when they do not necessarily know
how
> you really feel. This is an interesting exercise that everyone should do,
in
> many cases it opens one's eyes - as I have been guilty of the same
offence!
>
> I would be interested to know the organisation name; maybe I can help
them!
>
> Simon Howarth.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Charles
Christacopoulos
> Sent: 11 July 2005 21:07
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [data-protection] Reassuring! There IS a need for privacy
> officers!
>
> ** Reply to note from Tim Trent <[log in to unmask]>
> Mon, 11 Jul 2005 20:51:32 +0100
>
>
> > I have just had a very weird correspondence with a web based business
> > that I will not name!  I subscribed, thinking it was of use to me.  It
> > wasn't, so I tried to unsubscribe.  There was no obvious way so I
emailed
> the "info@"
> > email address (enclosing the auto-email confirming my subscription thus:
> >
> > "Please see the enclosed email.  I see no way of unsubscribing, so
> > please delete my data record in accordance with the UK Data protection
Act
> 1998 "
> >
> > And I received the most extraordinary reply:
> >
> > "Hello Tim,
> >
> > I fail to understand why you register then decide within the space of
> > 5 minutes to cancel the registration.
> >
> > The way you have worded your email sounds much like a threat. However,
> > you may have failed to read our privacy policy.
> >
> > I have removed your details as requested. Something I have noticed
> > though is that you have failed to request that your carefully worded
email
> be deleted.
> > Perhaps you should put a signature on the end to the effect of:
> >
> > This email is for immediate information only. Please read then feed
> > the email to thin air, thus ensuring there is no trace of my
> > conversation to you."
> >
> > I admit to astonishment, so I place it here as a case study in
> > alienating customers.  I will, of course, make a point of avoiding
> > this organisation because of the overt hostility of their staff
> > member!  And I have emailed him and informed him that I am deleting
> > him from the servers of http://partnermine.com, the business I own and
> > was writing to him from, within the 21 days that I am required to do!
> >
> > Unsurprisingly I can find no trace of this organisation's notification
> > under the DPA 1998!  That seems to me like tempting providence,
> > especially since they ask people online to subscribe to their site
> > which is well positioned in sites of its class in search engines, and is
> UK based.
>
> Ehmmm,
>
> Do consider using a finer emery wet and dry paper from time to time.
> Coarse sandpaper results in coarse finishing.
>
> The translation.  Yes you used threatening behaviour by claiming your
rights
> under the law etc etc, a friendly email could have done the trick.
> Sorry if you don't see it ... I do and I am not saying this in order to
> annoy you.  Honestly, use a finer emery paper.
>
> There can be another prolonged discussion about whether they should delete
> all your data and how will they know that they should do so without
keeping
> a record that you asked them to do so ... chicken egg ... going home for
> some liquid refreshments.
>
> Charles
>
> --
> Charles Christacopoulos, Management Information Officer, Planning &
> Information, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 4HN, Scotland, United
> Kingdom. Tel: 44(0)1382-344891. Fax: 44(0)1382-348845.
> http://www.somis.dundee.ac.uk/ ::egothor http://www.egothor.org/
>
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