[MyData & Open Data] Advice on EU Open Data project

Thu Jan 8 09:25:29 UTC 2015

Javier,

thanks for your response, especially the proposal to add a notice to
removed register entries, that seems simple and clean. I'll try and
implement that once I get the opportunity.

Many thanks to everyone on this list!

- Friedrich

On Wed, Jan 7, 2015 at 12:48 PM, Javier Ruiz <javier at openrightsgroup.org>
wrote:

> Hi
>
> Sorry for late arrival, just got back from hols.
>
> This project looks great.
>
> I think that from a data protection pov it is important to understand what
> your site adds to the “profiles”  of individuals presented in the original
> register. This would determine to what extent you are generating new
> information about the person - even by mashing up sources - and thus your
> obligations to make sure that this new information is accurate, relevant,
> etc.
>
> In general, keeping the information up to date should be a requirement for
> this kind of project, but retaining historical data clearly labelled as
> such should not be a problem, I believe. I agree with Stef that a resourced
> organisation may be better placed to handle this kind of project and fight
> back vexatious requests for removals.
>
> From a 5 minute check, I cannot see pseudonymous data working here. The
> files for individuals do not appear to contain a lot of information besides
> the name, employment and group membership.
>
> Happy to continue this conversation with interested group.
>
> Javier
>
>
> > On 3 Jan 2015, at 15:10, stef <s at ctrlc.hu> wrote:
> >
> > On Sat, Jan 03, 2015 at 12:17:14PM +0100, Friedrich Lindenberg wrote:
> >> [...snip...]
> >> The project is called "OpenInterests.eu" and it combines data from a
> >> variety of European-level data sources into a sort of social network of
> who
> >> is lobbying and doing business with the EU institutions. By it's very
> >
> > excellent project!
> >
> >> [...snip...]
> >> Adding to this, I have a larger "memory" than the EU TR: people can
> remove
> >> their own records from the official register, but that does not effect a
> >
> > the historical aspect is crucial in this case i believe.
> >
> >> This has lead to trouble in only one case, where a person signed up for
> TR
> >> and entered what they now claim is false information.
> >
> > if they correct the information, i believe the corrected one is
> displayed, and
> > not the historical one, right?
> >
> >> They threatened to sue me for libel for reproducing the data after
> they'd
> >> deleted it from TR.
> >
> > libel? hehe. (based on the assumption that libel is a 1st class action,
> and
> > not applicable when you copy the "statement" from the public source.)
> > interesting that the threat is not based on privacy arguments. maybe
> walter
> > or some other legal person can give more insights.
> >
> >> I did a hack on the web site to replace their entries with a notice that
> >> says that I was compelled to remove information about them - which
> promptly
> >> rose to rank #1 for their name on Google. Today, they started
> threatening
> >> to sue me for producing that notice...
> >
> > hehe. (see my previous hehe)
> >
> >> In any case, I feel that I need to lay out a clear policy on personal
> >> information for this site.
> >
> > indeed. it is important to make understand people that involvement in
> > processes that influence our society demands transparency. a simple
> > explanation might help that. otherwise we get to the stupid google meme,
> that
> > deletion of such data from 3rd parties is ok. that is also why i think
> the
> > correction of the data in the register should be the way to do this, and
> then
> > your db will also update and show whatever they want to be seen last.
> the cost
> > of this are much less than the cost of suing.
> >
> >> I'm worried that, while what I am doing might be
> >> legally OK, I am behaving like an arse towards these small-time/once-off
> >> lobbyists.
> >
> > i guess with a little prosa you can give it some context? a faq? a data
> > policy?
> >
> >> The goal of the project is to shed light on power, not to shame
> >> people for being a bit stupid while filling out a messy online form.
> >
> > indeed. that however can be corrected in the register, and thus also in
> your
> > db.
> >
> >> I'd be interested to hear how people on this list would resolve some of
> >> these issues:
> >>
> >> * Should I (by default) delete entries from the TR when they get
> removed,
> >> even if that means I loose information about some large lobbying groups
> >> which try to escape transparency?
> >
> > no.
> >
> >> * What mechanism for arbitrating removal requests should I have? [nb.
> total
> >> budget for the whole thing: 0 EUR :) ]
> >
> > none
> >
> >> * What should be the criteria for such a mechanism? What makes a person
> >> "irrelevant" in the context of such a database?
> >
> > only non-valid entries, like the one a friend created on the Illuminati
> in the
> > register, if you would be Adam Weishaupt, you'd be entitled for removal i
> > guess. but even in this case i'd argue against removal, and instead post
> a
> > note that this was a "joke registrant" and the data should be considered
> > invalid. only preserved for historical reasons.
> >
> >> I think it may be interesting to discuss these issues in this group,
> >> because the answers may also apply to other, similar projects.
> >
> > indeed. i think it would make sense to hand over this project to an ngo
> or a
> > group of ngos so there is some kind of budget and legal infrastructure to
> > handle such cases. and if we succeed in protecting this data, it will
> create
> > precedents also for other projects.
> >
> > i'm very happy to get myself, ceo and transp intl bxl into the loop and
> behind
> > your fine back! walters vrijschrift is also a nice support org. <3
> >
> > ps: forget the pseudonymisation that walter suggested, that doesn't
> really
> > work.
> >
> > --
> > otr fp: https://www.ctrlc.hu/~stef/otr.txt
> > _______________________________________________
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> > mydata-open-data at lists.okfn.org
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>
>
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