Privacy – Beasley's Place

It caught my eye… 4–2023

November 21, 2023November 21, 2023 MikeLeave a comment

I participate in a number of medical research projects at Reading University which I find interesting and if they can learn anything, all well and good.

Of course, this means that you give over various personal details to help them move forward on their projects. All covered by various UK data protection rules.

I also volunteered for similar projects with Biobank and again gave up personal details under UK data protection rules. Image my surprise to find that Biobank appears to have given access to that data to insurance companies!!

Seems that was not in the small print that I remember.

Just announce today that Palantir, the USA based Data Analytics company has just been awarded a £ 480m contract for the NHS.

Palantir will work with its UK partner Accenture to set up and operate a Federated Data Platform (FDP) (Link is to NHS explanation) for the NHS. For more information about FDP’s see Wikipedia‘s explanation.

This deal opens up all sorts of data privacy issues, which have already started some serious discussions.

In case you were wondering, how many data breaches — where private data is accidentally released due to errors, system failures or hacking etc.

Here’s a List of Data Breaches and Cyber Attacks in 2023 from the IT-Governance website.

Makes you think!

Privacy, it is possible in today’s world?

January 28, 2020March 21, 2020 MikeLeave a comment

With recent news that Clearview AI is being used by a number of USA Law Enforcement Agencies, one wonders when UK Police Forces might start deploying similar capabilities, although The Met seems to be ahead in this area already.

It clearly seems that Clearview AI is causing a big stir, here are just a few of the stories that I have come across in the last few days.

It’s going to be a bumpy ride for this company as many people will not want to see their ordinary everyday images used as a background for police or other random checks.

Privacy and all that!!

January 6, 2020January 6, 2020 MikeLeave a comment

With the latest news that Cambridge Analytics (read this) intrusion into many of our lives, it comes as no surprise that ‘Our Privacy’ (or lack of) is still very much in the news.

It’s down to everyone to make sure that they protect as much as possible their own privacy both on line and offline.

Lenny Henry’s speech (about harvesting all ‘our’ data) in episode two of the latest Doctor Who series could have been written by some of the largest data corporations on earth based on recent information – though I don’t think there able to reprogram our brain just yet!

This recent article in the Guardian has a good set of suggestions about Online Protections, such as using a Password Manager, checking the settings on your ‘Smart Speaker’ etc.

It’s always best to be wise before the event.