Jeremy Mittman writes: On April 27, 2010, a sweeping new law on data protection was passed by the Mexican Senate, clearing the way for the President to sign the landmark legislation, which provides for penalties up to an astounding $1.5 million for violations under the law. The new Federal Law for the Protection of Personal…
Author: Dissent
Ontario privacy commissioner seeks solution to 'abandoned patient records' problem
Brian Jackson reports: Ontario’s Privacy Commissioner is putting pressure on businesses and doctors to practice better information and records management and stem the leaking of personally identifiable information. In a report released yesterday Ann Cavoukian calls on companies of all sizes to put in place best practices for information management. She also wants a fast…
UK: Laptop with patients' details stolen in Peterborough
A laptop containing the details of 1,100 patients and their retinal images has been stolen from a Cambridgeshire hospital. The computer was stolen from the Ophthalmology department at Peterborough District Hospital between 26 and 27 April. The hospital has publically revealed the theft after first informing the patients concerned. Their details were not encrypted or…
BC: Storage of newborns’ blood samples raises privacy concerns
Jane Armstrong reports: It’s a routine test conducted on newborns – a quick needle prick to the heel to test for a range of health disorders and diseases before an infant is discharged. But the newborn screening procedures, which exist across North America and most of the developed world, have run afoul of privacy advocates…
Personal cellphone data ends up for sale at Mexico flea market
Tracy Wilkinson reports: When the government launched a nationwide campaign to register cellphones, millions of Mexicans refused. And thousands of others registered with a familiar name: Felipe Calderon, the country’s president…. Some said they were convinced that the government would use the information to spy on dissidents or anyone else out of favor. Others said…
Judge won’t accept pleas in Jackson Memorial Hospital ID theft case
Jay Weaver reports: A husband-and-wife duo charged with running a racket to pilfer patient records from Jackson Memorial Hospital to sell to lawyers for injury claims tried to plead guilty Tuesday in Miami federal court. But U.S. District Judge Joan Lenard said she couldn’t accept their pleas because she didn’t think the prescribed punishment fit…