Peter Hirschfeld reports: Lawmakers say a proposal to expand the state’s DNA database will better protect Vermont residents from violent criminals. But a civil liberties group argues that culling genetic samples from people not yet convicted of any crime could compromise rights to privacy guaranteed under the Vermont Constitution. The Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this…
Author: Dissent
MO: Former St. John's Employee Accused of Invasion of Privacy
Chris Grogan reports: When you go to a hospital facility, you expect your privacy will be protected. Yet for some women and children in the Ozarks, a hidden camera stole that right to privacy. On Friday, KOLR/KSFX confirmed a former St. John’s employee was fired due to these invasion of privacy allegations. Investigators say he…
IA: University Hospitals employees disciplined for confidentiality breach
Eight University Hospitals staff members have been caught accessing confidential patient information inappropriately and are being disciplined, hospital officials said today. One of those caught was fired. The infractions were found during a routine review of computer access to patient information, officials said. “UI Hospitals and Clinics is fully committed to assuring the highest possible…
UK: Hundreds of patient records stolen
PERSONAL details of 1,800 patients have been lost after two computers were stolen from East Yorkshire hospitals. A laptop was taken from a locked cupboard at Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham, containing details of urology patients and a PC which held details of cancer patients was taken from Hull Royal Infirmary. Dr David Hepburn, Medical Director…
Dutch hospitals lax on data security
Radio Netherlands reports: The Dutch Data Protection Authority reports that hospitals are careless with patient’s computer records. The report follows an inspection at 20 hospitals, none of which were found to have adequate data security. Entire departments were found to be using the same login name and password. And in many hospitals, computers are left…
Google "Flu Trends" Raises Privacy Concerns
From EPIC.org: Google announced this week a new web tool that may make it possible to detect flu outbreaks before they might otherwise be reported. Google Flu Trends relies on individual search terms, such as “flu symptoms,” provided by Internet users. Google has said that it will only reveal aggregate data, but there are no…