Office of the Privacy Commissioner

When online news media goes too far John Edwards
1 September 2015 at 16:08

Like many I woke last Thursday to the horrific news of the live on air execution of a US journalist and her cameraman, and subsequent suicide of their disgruntled former colleague. The killings were captured on digital video and broadcast first by the victims, and then by the shooter, who uploaded his “first person” footage to social media before taking his own life.

media, complaints

Harmful Digital Communications Act: two months in Sam Grover
31 August 2015 at 10:26

For 37 million people, the Ashley Madison data breach is a nightmare scenario. Extremely sensitive, personal information is in the public domain to be perused and abused by anyone takes a mind to do so.

Harmful Digital Communications

What you need to know about the Ashley Madison breach Sam Grover
21 August 2015 at 15:56

When the Ashley Madison data breach story first broke, it was quite isolated. It was a criminal matter for local authorities and a PR disaster for Ashley Madison itself, but that’s as far as it went.

breach, technology

Bankruptcy and the right to be forgotten Richard Stephen
20 August 2015 at 13:38

The issue over whether a person’s past should continue to be discoverable online is one of the big privacy debates of our time. Although the concept of the ‘right to be forgotten’ has been around since 2006, it gained momentum in 2014 when the European Court of Justice agreed that a Spanish man, Mario Gonzalez, had the right to get Google to “break the link” to online information about his past financial difficulties.

Credit reporting, IPP8 - accuracy, finance

The search for an accurate age Sam Grover
18 August 2015 at 16:12

What happens when an agency’s record of your identity conflicts with who you actually are? This is the question we grappled with in an Immigration New Zealand (INZ) case that we recently referred to the Director of Human Rights Proceedings.

IPP7 - correction, IPP8 - accuracy, Human Rights Review Tribunal, customs & immigration

$15,000 award shows need to follow workplace policy Charles Mabbett
17 August 2015 at 10:05

People have a right to access information about themselves. When workplace policies reinforce this right, it is risky to deviate from them. This was recently underlined in a Human Rights Review Tribunal decision to award a former Capital Coast DHB (CCDHB) nurse $15,000 for being denied information about a harassment complaint she made against her manager.

IPP6 - access, Human Rights Review Tribunal, health

Holmes vs Housing New Zealand Charles Mabbett
14 August 2015 at 16:27

A Housing New Zealand tenant who found himself in a bureaucratic limbo when he complained to several agencies about a noisy neighbour has been awarded $400 damages.

IPP6 - access, Human Rights Review Tribunal

$18,000 damages for disclosing private letter Charles Mabbett
6 August 2015 at 14:24

The Human Rights Review Tribunal says a former Massey University extramural student society president suffered humiliation and significant injury to her feelings after a private letter addressed to her was leaked to a student magazine.

IPP11 - disclosure, Human Rights Review Tribunal, complaints

When online news media goes too far John Edwards 1 September 2015 at 16:08

Harmful Digital Communications Act: two months in Sam Grover 31 August 2015 at 10:26

What you need to know about the Ashley Madison breach Sam Grover 21 August 2015 at 15:56

Bankruptcy and the right to be forgotten Richard Stephen 20 August 2015 at 13:38

The search for an accurate age Sam Grover 18 August 2015 at 16:12

$15,000 award shows need to follow workplace policy Charles Mabbett 17 August 2015 at 10:05

Holmes vs Housing New Zealand Charles Mabbett 14 August 2015 at 16:27

$18,000 damages for disclosing private letter Charles Mabbett 6 August 2015 at 14:24

When online news media goes too far John Edwards
1 September 2015 at 16:08

Harmful Digital Communications Act: two months in Sam Grover
31 August 2015 at 10:26

What you need to know about the Ashley Madison breach Sam Grover
21 August 2015 at 15:56

Bankruptcy and the right to be forgotten Richard Stephen
20 August 2015 at 13:38

The search for an accurate age Sam Grover
18 August 2015 at 16:12

$15,000 award shows need to follow workplace policy Charles Mabbett
17 August 2015 at 10:05

Holmes vs Housing New Zealand Charles Mabbett
14 August 2015 at 16:27

$18,000 damages for disclosing private letter Charles Mabbett
6 August 2015 at 14:24