Techno fears drive spike in privacy complaints

Social networking, search giant Google and CCTV are all driving a surge in complaints to the Privacy Commission. Photo / Bradley Ambrose

Concerns about the implications of evolving technology are reflected in a spike in the number of complaints to the Privacy Commission.

In her annual report, commissioner Marie Shroff said the organisation received 6632 enquiries on personal information and privacy matters in the year ended June, up more than 1200 on 2007-2008, and the highest number of enquiries since 2002.

There were 806 privacy complaints, up from 662 in the previous year, and 216 media enquiries, up from an average of about 150 a year.

"Numbers alone are just part of the picture; the range and nature of the enquiries has also shifted," Ms Shroff said.

"Many media enquiries were related to development in information or communication technology."

The most asked-about subjects included Google products and platforms, such as Street View, the increase and sophistication of closed-circuit television (CCTV), social networking sites such as Facebook, genetic privacy and data security issues.

The widespread use of portable storage devices (PSDs) such as USB memory sticks, netbooks, MP3 players, BlackBerries and iPhones, has raised issues about the security of New Zealanders' data.

Survey findings released by the commission earlier this year found that flagship government departments were among those most at risk of disclosing sensitive personal material, due to lax controls over PSDs.

"I am forced to the conclusion that personal information about New Zealanders is not being treated with the same care and respect as other sorts of 'classified' or 'sensitive' information, Ms Shroff said.

She "strongly urged" middle and senior public sector managers to become more focused on data protection.

"This is a huge area - and it does not appear that government agencies have grasped that."

The survey also found public unease about government personal data sharing had "grown sharply", from 37 per cent in 2006 to 62 per cent last year.

"Generally New Zealanders trust the public sector to handle their information well. That trust can easily be lost."

Ms Shroff said the world was in the middle of an "information revolution" which allowed details about individuals to be collected, used and disclosed "on an unprecedented scale".

"These survey results give clear messages to both business and government about the needs to protect information in order to retain customer trust."

The Law Commission's major review of privacy was continuing, with the spotlight moving on to the Privacy Act itself, Ms Shroff said.

Final reports are due next year.

Alongside this review, the Privacy (Cross-border Information) Amendment Bill was introduced to Parliament in April.

It will help ensure New Zealand law meets the expectations of its trading partners, with the practical effect of helping to open up trading opportunities with Europe, Ms Shroff said.

"This sort of development is especially important in the current global climate."

- NZPA