Editor:
Re. Gibsons authorized to disclose petitioner’s information.
Thank you for the article summarizing the BC privacy commissioner office’s decision regarding my query to them questioning a government body’s authorization to publish online, the full names, addresses and signatures of the signatories of a petition. As reported, the ruling permitted the Town of Gibsons to publish online an unredacted copy of a petition revealing the full names, addresses and signatures of 85 of its citizens. This personal information is now available for the whole world to access. With identity theft and fraud on the rise, it is, in my opinion, negligent to have this information in online circulation. Therefore, this ruling has severely compromised a time-honored and effective method for communicating public consensus to government officials. Be aware!
Dennise Dombroski, Gibsons