In the UK, official registers such as the Electoral Roll or Register of Companies,
and unofficial resources such as telephone directory enquiries services and
commercial websites, contain information relating to ordinary people. This article
discusses the use of those resources, their benefits and limitations, and the legal
and ethical framework within which each exists. The benefits for information
professionals contrast with the author’s caution over data integrity and
unethical temptation.
George, J.
and
K. Marett
(2004)
‘Accept the Truth about Dishonest Job Applicants’
, HR Magazine. Available at:
www.careerjournal.com/hrcenter/shrm/features/20040609-shrm.html
(consulted on 1 June 2005).
2.
Abraham, B.
(1993) Directory of Registers and Records, 5th edn.London: Longman
.
3.
Gordon-Till, J.
(1998)
‘Discover: People Information’
. Managing Information5(10):
27-30
.
4.
Office for National Statistics
(2005) UK Electoral Statistics - registered electors
rise, 25 February. Available at:
www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/elect0205.pdf (consulted on 1 June 2005).
5.
Office for National Statistics
(2005) Social Trends35, chapter 1.
6.
BBC News
(2005) ‘Election 2005: Did you have problems
voting?’. Available at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/have_your_say/4520809.stm
(consulted on 1 June 2005).
7.
House of Commons Library
(2003) Sale of the Electoral Register. Standard Note
SN/PC/1020, 3 October. Available at:
www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/notes/snpc-01020.pdf (consulted on
1 June 2005).
8.
Electoral Commission (2002) Circular EC36/2002, 25 July. Available at:
www.electoralcommission.org.uk/templates/search/document.cfm/6501
(consulted on 1 June 2005).
9.
Representation of the People Act 2000, section 9(2).
10.
Boguscz, B.
,
J.E. Davies
and
C. Oppenheim
(2000)
‘Personal Information in UK Public Registers: Its Availability
and Use’
, Business Information Review17(2):
82-96
.
11.
ibid. p. 87.
12.
R (Robertson) versus Wakefield MDC [2002] QB 1052.
13.
Electoral Commission
(2002) Electoral Registers: access, supply and sale -
Response of the Electoral Commission, June. Available at:
www.electoralcommission.org.uk/templates/search/document.cfm/6645
(consulted on 1 June 2005).
14.
Pedersen, A.
(2003)
‘Electoral Roll Results Leave Marketers Fuming’
, Privacy Laws and Business United Kingdom Newsletter11, pp.
1, 3, 31
.
15.
Department for Trade and Industry
(2001) Directors’ Home Addresses: a consultative
document, URN 01/1140. Available at:
www.dti.gov.uk/cld/dha_condoc.pdf (consulted on 1 June 2005).
16.
Pensions and Investment Research Consultants
(1998)
‘Biographical Disclosure: PIRC calls for “warts and
all” detail’
, PIRC Intelligence. Available at:
www.pirc.co.uk/biodisclosure.htm (consulted on 1 June 2005).
17.
Smith, N.
(1991) Blueprint Guide to Private Investigation.
18.
Millar, S.
(2002)
‘The Phone Book’
, The Guardian 21 September.
19.
The Guardian (2002)
‘Special Report: Big Brother’
. Available at: www.guardian.co.uk/bigbrother/privacy/
(consulted on 1 June 2005).
