It becomes personal data if it is about a person (e.g. Tanya.Holden@...) and when combined with other details identifies that person - e.g. the mailing list is for people who have registered their interest in something in particular (e.g. it being for residents of a particular borough). This surely further allows for the email recipient to be sent direct marketing material using this information that is known about them. I'm also fairly sure that Oxofrd University got in trouble for doing this a few years ago - a huge number of people's email addresses were included in the cc. field. Tanya Holden Information Governance Manager Metropolitan Housing Partnership >>> Tim Trent <[log in to unmask]> 10/18/06 2:27 pm >>> An email address is data that is capable of uniquely identifying a living individual, and is thus personal data -----Original Message----- From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tinsley, Chris Sent: 18 October 2006 14:17 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [data-protection] Councils using cc lists for a mailing Is an email address personal data? I am sure that this has been discussed before but am not sure that there was any consensus. An email address contains no biographical data so may not be considered personal data. I do believe the council should not advertise everyones address. Chris Tinsley MSc Wiltshire County Council Information is the key -----Original Message----- From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Roland Perry Sent: 18 October 2006 13:57 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [data-protection] Councils using cc lists for a mailing I've seen the following report on Usenet, somewhat [redacted] to protect the guilty, what do people think? >I filled in the online consultation for the [high profile County >Council planning proposal] and supplied my email address to be kept >informed of progress. I have just had an email from the county council >informing me of a series of public exhibitions. > >All well and good but the email was sent directly with the list of >almost 1,000 people in the To: field, not as a BCC:. A quick glance at >the list reveals [several local people I recognise]. Can they do this? >Surely basic data protection prevents them broadcasting my email >address to all and sundry. -- Roland Perry ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ All archives of messages are stored permanently and are available to the world wide web community at large at http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/data-protection.html If you wish to leave this list please send the command leave data-protection to [log in to unmask] All user commands can be found at : - http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/help/commandref.htm Any queries about sending or receiving message please send to the list owner [log in to unmask] (all commands go to [log in to unmask] not the list please) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ********************************************************************** This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. 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