Charles:
But are you the only Charles Christacopoulos in the world and how does
anyone know that is your real name just from the email id. Would I not be
making an assumption that it is. No one relies on an email id as proof of
identity. Something more appears to be needed to link the email id to an
identifiable living individual. If that something is in the possession of
the data controller then I agree that the set of data becomes personal data.
But if you only have the email id e.g. via a purchased list of email ids the
data item alone is not necessarily personal data which identifies a living
individual in possession of the data controller.
Dave Wyatt
-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask]
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
[log in to unmask]
Sent: 15 November 2000 02:22
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: RE: Email marketing
** Reply to note from "Dave Wyatt" <[log in to unmask]> Tue, 14 Nov
2000 23:10:26 -0000
> I was wondering why an email address list actually becomes personal data
in
> such a scenario and therefore caught by the Act.
> I cannot identify a living individual from an email address alone.
Therefore
> why would a list email addresses as marketing prospects be subject to the
> Act on first use. Until I have other information allowing me to identify
> the owner of the email address as a known living individual I have no way
of
> verifying the information. I wouldn't allow a person to change bank
account
> details on a financial services contract via email unless other
information
> could be linked to the address to verify. We as a company receive such
> requests by email but have to decline to process as we cannot verify the
> sender as the contract holder.
>
> What do others think?
Unless I am missing the point :-) in many instances you do have someone's
actual name. For example your address is Dave_Wyatt mine c.k.christ...etc
although we could have had addresses like [log in to unmask]
Further information may come to your posetion which would allow you to
"cross
reference data" there fore you are holding personal data.
I hope it helps to muddy the waters.
Charles
==============================================
Charles Christacopoulos, Secretary's Office, University of Dundee,
Dundee DD1 4HN, Scotland, United Kingdom.
Tel: +44+(0)1382-344891. Fax: +44+(0)1382-201604.
http://somis.ais.dundee.ac.uk/
Scottish Search Maestro http://somis2.ais.dundee.ac.uk/
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