Interview for TVN24, 12 August 2010

Leaving personal data in the dump is a grave oversight – reminded GIODO.

I warn all the people who came into possession of others’ personal data by accident against the further use of such data – said Wojciech Wiewiórowski, The Inspector General for Personal Data Protection (GIODO), who was a guest of “Prosto z Polski” broadcast by TVN24.

The interview with GIODO, carried out by Mr Piotr Jacoń, was preceded by a news coverage on the discovery of personal files, containing personal data of volunteers serving as lifeguards, in the dump. After receiving information from TVN24 journalists, police instigated proceedings in this case.

Mr Wojciech Wiewiórowski commented on the situation and said that journalists did the right thing, however, the residents of the nearby tenement houses, who had seen the documents earlier, should have called the police, especially given the fact that the files may have contained sensitive medical data.

The cards were found to be several years old, hence it is difficult to judge who is responsible for their unlawful disclosure. Police investigation will certainly clarify the matter.