b4u search.com - your name and address are on it!

clairehi

I think anyone who does not see the dangers of this site is very lacking in imagination.


I have just sent the following email to the Information Commissioners office which is self-explanatory.


To: 'compliance@ico.gsi.gov.uk'
Subject: B4usearch.com


To whom it may concern. I would like to make you aware of how this organisation are operating as I think they may be breaching data protection rules?

I emailed this organisation today to request they remove my details from their website.

They have sent me an automated response giving me 2 options:

1. To submit my request via their website which would involved giving them more personal information - my home and mobile phone numbers, which I am not willing to do.

2. To fax my request to a premium line number which will incur a cost.

I don’t think that either of these alternatives are fair, as I should not have to either give them any further personal details or pay in order to avoid my home details being published on the internet without my consent.

Is there any alternative

Best wishes

Dan29

clairehi wrote:

I think anyone who does not see the dangers of this site is very lacking in imagination.

If you can't see the advantages of the site then maybe you're lacking in imagination

Now please excuse me when I go and remove the number from my front door and cover up the numberplates on my car.

black-saturn

The disadvantages of it are that some people have moved away to get away from an abusive ex.

My details are wrong on it anyway as it lists me as living with my parents and I havn't been there for years. I'm on the electoral roll though (anonymously).

The advantages are that you can find famous people on there as long as you know their real name and their vacinity. I've found Robert Smith's!! :j :j :j :j

black-saturn

Whaaaat??? He's the singer in The Cure. Theres a pic of him in my avatar.

poorbutgettingricher

hex2 wrote:

This website allows you to search on people and location. It then uses details from the electoral register to tell you the full name and home address. This in my case is despite me having opted to not have this information released by my council. :mad:

Anyone can search on your name and county and track you down. I upset people as part of my job and they can now find out where I live :eek:

You can e-mail them (privacy@b4usearch.com) to ask for your details to be removed or they charge extortionate fees (£7.50) to call and have it removed urgently.

I am horrified and will be taking this up with my MP and council. Does anyone know of other similar sites that I should worry about?

the information on this site is very up to date (NOT) there are people listed in my village who have moved out over 5 years ago, passed away many years ago, and details of new residents (having moved in to the area in the last 3 years) not on there!

Dan29

Yep it's 2001 electoral roll information - see post #56.

inmypocketnottheirs

I emailed and had both mine and mrs inmypocket's details removed immediately, no charge.

full-time-mum

zappomatic wrote:

This is all perfectly legal and above board, and has been available on other websites such as 192.com for longer than I can remember. You have to be careful what boxes you tick on the electoral register forms.

We have always ticked the boxes. Found our details on 192.com and rang the council to query it. 192 are using electoral rolls from before the opting out time, as well as more up-to-date versions, so until we move and the info becomes out-of-date, we are stuck there.:mad: Presumably, even if move, our name and this address will still be there.

As an aside but slightly related, don't forget that you can opt out of cold calls by registering with the telephone preference service. It is not 100% foolproof but is certainly worth doing.

superscaper

Dan29 wrote:

Yep it's 2001 electoral roll information - see post #56.

It can't be just electoral roll information. They list my mum's details and she's not on the electoral roll (not a British citizen), and I've previously checked on 192.com's electroral roll and everyone in my family except my mum is listed on that. So where have B4U got their information from?

clairehi

Just received an email from the Information Commissioners office today in rsponse to my complaint about b4usearch.com Makes interesting reading but sadly the upshot is that until their appeal is heard and hopefully refused, they are still publishing our details without consent.

Needless to say they still havent removed my details from the site.


"28th September 2006


Case Reference Number (deleted)


Dear Ms (deleted)


Thank you for your correspondence regarding the continued display of your details on the B4Usearch website.


As you may be aware the Information Commissioner's Office received a large number of complaints about the display of personal information on this website. We looked into B4U's compliance with the provisions with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998 (in particular the 1st Principle which requires personal data to be processed 'fairly and lawfully') and subsequently issued an Enforcement Notice against the company. This notice required B4U Business media to cease making personal data from the pre-2002electoral roll available to the public through the website B4usearch.com.

The Data Protection Act does entitle an organisation to appeal against an Enforcement Notice to the Information Tribunal. B4U Business Media have now appealed to the Information Tribunal against the notice which was served on them. This means that the notice need not be complied with pending the determination (by the Tribunal) or withdrawal of the appeal.

At present we do not have any more information about the likely timescales for the process however you can find more information about the Information Tribunal from their own website https://www.informationtribunal.gov.uk

An Enforcement Notice is the final step the Commissioner can take to ensure compliance. We will not therefore be pursuing any further individual complaints into this issue at this point. However we will keep our website (https://www.ico.gov.uk) and telephone helpline updated with further details of the case.

I am sorry that we are not able to provide a more comprehensive response at this stage but I hope that this has been helpful in explaining the situation.


Yours sincerely



Customer Services Team

Information Commissioners Office"