On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 16:14:22 +1300 Zane Gilmore <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> There is an different view on this in that some countries make it harder > to "steal" someones "identity" than others. > > Here in NZ a database writer is not allowed by law to use their > customers IRD number as a key into their database. > > Even if they have a legitimate use for that I.R.D. number they are not > allowed to use that information for anything other than what they > collected it for. > > This is one of NZs privacy law consequences. And I believe it is a good > one. It means that if some baddie gets one of my "identity numbers" > they haven't got my identity. > yes but they are allowed to store it in their database. I hold a number of client's ird numbers. for example when i put their funds on bank deposit, the bank needs to know the ird number, so resident withholding tax is deducted at the correct rate. I need to tell that to the bank, so the client needs to have told me. I don't keep these numbers in my head. I store them in a database. the database has a specific field for it. I don't have a clue whether this fied is indexed, as i didn't write the database (which is part of an accounting/practice management system) it is reasonable to have privacy laws. it is easy to bend them. an "agency" can use the information for the purpose for which it was obtained. make that purpose wide enough and you can make wider use of the information. * * lawyers have tighter rules of client confidentiality than imposed by the privacy act anyway. these rules have always been in place. OT now i think :-) > > Jason Greenwood wrote: > > I agree 100% and to take it one step further, what if the same standard > > applied to OSS? Then who'd get sued, the poor college hacker who wrote > > the program? What is there is no 'company' behind the software. > > Ridiculous. Vote with your feet and wallet people, period. Litigious > > americans annoy me...there are better ways to solve problems (Sorry Nick=). > > > > Cheers > > > > Jason > > > > -- > Zane Gilmore, Analyst / Programmer > Information Services Section, Information Technology Dept, > University of Canterbury - Te Whare Waananga o Waitaha > Private Bag 4800, > Christchurch New Zealand Phone +64-3-364 2987 extn 7895 > -- Nick Rout <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
