Communications networks
Storing information about people on computers which are linked to communications like the or private company networks has also become important. This allows databases to be used across an organisation and be shared between organisations very quickly.
Misuse of information
With more and more organisations using computers to store and process personal information, there was a danger the information could be misused or could get into the wrong hands.
The Data Protection Act was developed to give protection and lay down rules about how data about people can be used. Usually this data is stored on a computer.
The Data Protection Act 1998 covers:
- Information or data
- stored on a computer or an organised paper filing system
- about living people.
How the Act works:
The basic way the Act works is:
- By setting up rules that people have to follow
- Having an Information Commissioner to enforce the rules.
It does not stop companies storing information about people. It just makes them follow rules.
The people involved
- The Information Commissioner is the person (and her office) who has powers to enforce the Act.
- A data controller is a person or company that collects and keeps data about people.
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A data subject is someone who has about them stored somewhere, outside their direct control. This makes us all data subjects as there can be few people in the UK who do not feature in computer records somewhere.
Some and information stored on computer disks is personal and needs to be kept confidential. People want to keep their pay, bank details, and medical records private and away from the view of just anybody. If someone who is not entitled to see these details can obtain access without permission it is unauthorised access. The sets up rules to prevent this kind of unauthorised access to and information.
The Act sets up two types of personal data:-
Personal data is about living people and could be:-
- their name
- address
- medical details or banking details
'Sensitive' personal data is also about living people, but it includes one or more details of a data subject's:
- racial or ethnic origin
- political opinions
- religion
- membership of a trade union
- health
- criminal activity.
There are more safeguards about sensitive data than ordinary personal data. Usually, a person must be asked specifically if sensitive data can be kept.
The rights of data subjects
People whose is stored are called data subjects. The Act sets up rights for people who have kept about them. You need to know these rights for the exam. They are:
A Right of Subject Access
A data subject has a right to be supplied by a with the personal data held about him or her. The data controller can charge for this: usually a few pounds.
A Right of Correction
A data subject may force a data controller to correct any mistakes in the data held about them.
A Right to Prevent Distress
A data subject may prevent the use of information if it would be likely to cause them distress.
A Right to Prevent Direct Marketing
A data subject may stop their data being used in attempts to sell them things (e.g. by junk mail or cold telephone calls.)
A Right to Prevent Automatic Decisions
A may specify that they do not want a to make "automated" decisions about them where, through points scoring, a computer decides on, for example, a loan application.
A Right of Complaint to the Information Commissioner
A can ask for the use of their to be reviewed by the who can enforce a ruling using the Act. The Commissioner may inspect a controller's computers to help in the investigation.
A Right to Compensation
The data subject is entitled to use the law to get compensation for damage caused ("damages") if personal data about them is inaccurate, lost, or disclosed.
SMS stands for Short Message Service and is commonly know as text messaging.
It's great for sending quick little messages to friends' phones and normally cheaper than a mobile phone call.
So, next time you're running late you can just key in "On my way!"
SMS
On nearly all mobile phones, SMS allows you to send short written messages of up to 160 characters or about 25 words.
Over one billion text messages are sent each month. Some of the more modern phones allow simple pictures to be sent within a text message.
In more recent times many publishers, online providers and games companies have started to launch alert and gaming services.
Typing them in
In older phones you write the letters by pressing the key repeatedly. So, if you press 2 once, it writes an 'A', if you press it twice a 'B' and three times a 'C'.
Nowadays many phones have dictionaries inside them and guess the word you want to write even when you just press the key once. It's great - because it saves a lot of time and effort!
Text Message Alerts
Alert services give information such as updates on the latest news headlines, sport scores and share prices. So they could be a newsflash or a football goal alert!
Other alerts might be your daily horoscope and information services covering everything from music news to the latest stock market quotes.
Normally you will 'sign up' to receive such a service by dialling a premium rate telephone number to cover the cost to the company of sending you the messages. Or, by sending a simple text message to a mobile number with a keyword such as 'START'.
If you have not paid for the messages as part of the registration you will probably be charged for each text alert message you receive.
So, it's really important to remember that nothing in this world is for free and to read all the small print.
Logos and Ring tones
Some of the more popular mobile phone handsets allow simple customisation.
Using SMS technology you can receive short musical ringtones or small pictures to replace the operator logo on the main screen of your phone.
But beware! Most of these services are now charged for, and often you have to use a premium rate telephone number to pay for the ringtone or logo.