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07 Jan 2008

Nitwit learns the seriousness of data nitwittery

Marvellous story from the Beeb:

TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson has lost money after publishing his bank details in his newspaper column. The Top Gear host revealed his account numbers after rubbishing the furore over the loss of 25 million people’s personal details on two computer discs. He wanted to prove the story was a fuss about nothing. But Clarkson admitted he was “wrong” after he discovered a reader had used the details to create a £500 direct debit to the charity Diabetes UK.

In his own inimitable manner he describes his process of enlightenment. Before, it’s very “nothing to fear”

“All you’ll be able to do with them is put money into my account. Not take it out. Honestly, I’ve never known such a palaver about nothing,”

“I opened my bank statement this morning to find out that someone has set up a direct debit which automatically takes £500 from my account,” ...Clarkson now says of the case: “Contrary to what I said at the time, we must go after the idiots who lost the discs and stick cocktail sticks in their eyes until they beg for mercy.”

I expect we’ll see a similar process of enlightenment eventually among Ministers, political advisers, Whitehall perm secs and chief execs. Eventually even the CIOs will get it.

• Posted by William Heath on 07/01/08 at 4:02pm
• Categories · "What do we want?" · Foundation of Trust · Data nitwittery
• Comments (2)  Permalink

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