In October 2022 I posted here an article about a computer system named "Horizon" whose errors led to hundreds of false criminal accusations.
British Post Office computer system scandal Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2022 07:24:41 +0900 (JST) https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/libreplanet-discuss/2022-10/msg00002.html > In 1999 the British Post Office installed a computer system named > "Horizon". From the early training phase problems were reported, but > the upper management at both the Post Office and developer Fujitsu > failed to take corrective measures. As a result Horizon kept > providing phony reports of lost funds in branch offices. The Post > Office responded aggressively to these reports by prosecuting managers > of these offices. > > Subsequent investigations have brought to light disturbing details. > During prosecutions the Post Office had claimed that only branch > masters had access to the financial data in Horizon but this was > untrue: a back door existed which gave engineers access to these > figures. They had withheld relevant code and data from courts. > They had also lied to those accused, claiming that theirs were > isolated cases when in reality there were over 700. > > This looks like a showcase of what harm can be done by refusing to > disclose code and data and by keeping victims helpless by isolating > them. > > ... --- This January BBC aired the drama "Mr Bates vs The Post Office" based on the experiences of Alan Bates, one of the victims, bringing greater public attemtion to the fiasco. UK Prime Minister Sunak has admitted in Parliament that this is "one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in our nation's history"; he has also expressed his desire to clear the names of those wrongly accused and offer compensation. Here are some relevant links on the issue. Of the several summaries currently available I most recommend the one by Computer Weekly. Post Office Horizon scandal explained: Everything you need to know Computer Weekly https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Post-Office-Horizon-scandal-explained-everything-you-need-to-know British Post Office scandal - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Post_Office_scandal Post Office scandal explained: What the Horizon saga is all about - BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56718036 Post Office lied and threatened BBC over Horizon whistleblower - BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-67884743 `Innocent' postmaster convicted of wife's murder 'using Horizon evidence' from Post Office https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/01/12/postmaster-jailed-wife-murder-horizon-post-office-evidence/ Mr Bates vs The Post Office - Watch Episode - ITVX https://www.itv.com/watch/mr-bates-vs-the-post-office/10a0469 Mr Bates vs The Post Office - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr_Bates_vs_The_Post_Office _______________________________________________ libreplanet-discuss mailing list libreplanet-discuss@libreplanet.org https://lists.libreplanet.org/mailman/listinfo/libreplanet-discuss