Sentech confidentiality breach

Thanks Tracy!

http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/telecoms/2004/0407261139.asp?A=MAW&S=Mobile%20and%20Wireless%20Technology&O=FPT

Sentech confidentiality breach

BY TRACY BURROWS

[Johannesburg, 26 July 2004] - Sentech has e-mailed a database of MyWireless users to some of its clients, in what one user described as a "serious breach of confidentiality".Astonished MyWireless clients forwarded copies of the database to ITWeb this morning, saying it had been attached to an e-mail they received from Sentech at the weekend. The e-mail purported to contain an attachment outlining Acceptable Use Policy. The Excel database includes names, addresses and contact numbers of around 1 500 users.

User groups who have campaigned to get Sentech to improve its MyWireless service said this morning that they were hoping to arrange a meeting with Sentech soon. "We don't want to fight with Sentech over things like this," one said. "We just want the service to work properly."Sentech's GM of marketing, Michelle Potgieter, said this morning she had no knowledge of the incident, and that she would look into the matter.




South Africa needs World Class Broadband at World Competitive Prices.

Removes thought of getting Mywireless from Brain.

<font size="4">An <b>apology</b> from Sentech.</font id="size4"> [:0] I'm speechless.

http://www.sentech.co.za/index.php?name=Forum&file=viewtopic&t=39

They're learning! [^] After all, if they read these forums they've got good teachers. []

Donn Edwards
http://privacy.4mg.com

Isn't there an Act of Parliament that protects people from the disclosure of information? Has Sentech not transgressed this Act? Should they get away with it after their threats of litigation?

Just a thought.

Unfortunately, you signed your rights away with their End User Agreement, which states:

7.4 Sentech may collect and use the customer's personal information and or other data for the purposes of business communications, administration, transacting and any other reason permitted by law.

The only "law" I know that protects your confidentiality is the Constitution itself. See my privacy site for what it says. Whether they could argue that the email was "business communications" or not I don't know, but I don't think you could sue unless there was some kind of "loss" involved. Personally, I agree with Rodent, who said we should let the matter lie. They have issued an apology.

They don't have a privacy policy on their web site. []

Donn Edwards
http://privacy.4mg.com