MOVED: The possible dangers of reading on a train

[whole diary]

[grahame]

We are in receipt of a letter referring to this thread which asks for its removal and states "The reason it needs to be removed is that it is inaccurate, outdated and defamatory. I believe that it is now also unlawful, in breach of Data Protection Laws.", where "it" is a post in which a member quotes the "Get Wokingham" website / newspaper.

As a precautionary measure, the thread has been removed from public view, and will be considered by our behind the counter team.  This removal should not be seen as any admission that there was anything wrong with the post, and indeed we may decide to take a pragmatic view and to leave it permanently out of view even if we do not agree that it is / was unlawful.

[grahame]

The moderator team has looked at / considered this overnight, and the thread in question will remain permanently removed.

The newspaper article concerned was quoted in good faith by one of our members, and there has been no suggestion made otherwise.  However, we are informed that the article became subject to court cases for the reasons quoted in my post above, and indeed that it has been removed from the newspaper's web site.

Our team has no reason to doubt the belief by my correspondent that the post may have retrospectively become illegal even though it was just quoting a publicly available web site, but we have no independent confirmation of that status.  We are taking a pragmatic view that the sensible and practical thing for us to do in the circumstances is to sidestep the question of rights and wrongs and simply leave the thread deleted, taking matters no further. I also have confirmation from the correspondent that this is a solution which will close the matter.

[lordgoata]

Edit: Sent PM instead.

[grahame]

Edit: Sent PM instead.

Appreciated ... it's going/gone from there and derivatives too 

[grahame]

I'm seated in the waiting room at Swindon, waiting for the 20:12 TransWilts train and I have just spent 15 minutes listening to two women discussing the bloke they work for.  I know a lot more about him now than he would be comfortable with, and it makes me conscious of the danger of accessing data or talking in public.    Having said which, I have said a lot about the TransWilts where I can be overheard over the last few days ... mostly with my marketing hat on, and thinking all through "who may be listening".