Yaman wrote:
> UK bosses also seem oblivious to the implications of a possible
> ban
>on the commercial use of the Electoral Roll. Three quarters of
>companies reckon a ban would have no cost implications at all on their
>business - in reality, the Electoral Roll is worth 55 million overall
>to UK companies per annum.
> Thousands of companies throughout the UK rely on the Electoral
> Roll
>for targeting customers, credit screenings and call centre technology.
>The direct marketing industry believes a ban on usage of the Electoral
>Roll will adversely affect businesses, charities, government agencies
>and consumers who will see an increase in mis-targeted mail.
>
I am not sure where this suggestion comes from. Also not sure where the
figure of 55million comes from. Grateful if anyone could quote a source
for this suggestion or the figure. Such a ban would either require a
change to the 1984 Act, which I can hardly see being introduced, or else an
amendment to the 1998 Act, which is unlikely in the short term. In any
case, I am not aware of any proposal to ban such use. What *is* true is
that the DP Registrar has commmissioned me and a colleague to undertake
research on the scale of, and issues raised by, people (not just commercial
organisations) using publicly available lists (of which the electoral
register is just one).
Professor Charles Oppenheim
Dept of Information Science
Loughborough University
Loughborough
Leics LE11 3TU
Tel 01509-223065
Fax 01509-223053
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