Taxi drivers are understandably angry and concerned that personal details – including their home addresses – were made public online after a mistake by their licensing authority.
The BBC reports that between April and September 5, personal information about thousands of new and existing taxi drivers and private hire drivers was accidentally made public – coinciding with the introduction of a new licensing database at Sefton Council on Merseyside.
Apology
The council did not confirm details of what had been made public, nor how long it was available, but said it had rectified the situation.
A spokesman said: “We would like to apologise to anyone affected by this.
“We are currently carrying out an urgent investigation with our provider to understand how this incident occurred and steps that need to be taken to prevent it happening again.”
At the time the council introduced the new database, it also amended its licensing rules to bring in five-year bans for taxi and PHV drivers who were caught using mobile phones while driving. It also introduced new offences including discrimination and exploitation for which drivers would be permanently barred from working in the industry.
Drivers are understandably worried that as well as their names and addresses, sensitive information such as this could also have been exposed.
At risk
Drivers are understandably concerned that the leak could expose them to danger in their own homes.
Taxi driver John McAteer told the BBC he “couldn’t believe” his eyes when he saw his details online and has been left feeling “totally exposed”.
He said: “My first thought was for female taxi drivers and some stalker knowing their address.
“The scope for damage is huge.”
Mr McAteer also raised the matter of having to deal with “unruly customers who become aggressive and offensive”.
He said: “The thought of people like that having the home address of me and my family is causing me a great deal of anxiety to say the least.
“It has made me feel very vulnerable and exposed.
“I’m wondering whether there’s people who I may have had arguments in the past turning up at my door. It’s just madness.”
Data protection
Under GDPR laws, companies and organisations that hold personal information about customers and businesses have a legal responsibility to ensure it is stored securely and not disclosed or used in any way other than for the purpose for which it was intended.
For serious breaches of data protection regulations, The Information Commissioner’s Office can issue fines of up to £17.5 million or 4% of a company’s annual worldwide turnover, whichever is higher.
But the organisation is keen to point out that it prefers to “work with organisations to find a resolution. Organisations that recognise and take ownership for the correction of shortcomings through the development of a performance improvement plan can avoid formal enforcement action.”
Mistakes do happen, but with sensitive information such as people’s names and addresses – as well as financial details and driving or licensing records – there is a lot at stake. Drivers are understandably concerned that people could turn up at their homes with sinister motives, and that if other information had been made public, it could affect their livelihoods.