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Frank Zola 23 September 2012
Dear Department for Work and Pensions,
It is common for the DWP to use covert and overt CCTV and audio recording of interviews, telephone conversations etc and does not appear to have any obligation to inform anyone when such recording is taking place.
Can you confirm that members of the public are also free to covertly record their interactions with the DWP or it's contractors and there are no legal duties for them to inform anyone of the recordings when they are only intended to be for personal and private domestic use?
Yours faithfully,
Frank Zola
DWP freedom-of-information-requests, Department for Work and Pensions 23 September 2012
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DWP LS FOI, Department for Work and Pensions 17 October 2012
4 Attachments
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FOI 3687 Response Zola.pdf
24K Download View as HTML
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Call Recording.pdf
13K Download View as HTML
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Recordings by claimants.pdf
23K Download View as HTML
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Guidance on Restricted Use of Electronic Media in Jobcentres.pdf
92K Download View as HTML
Dear Mr Zola
Please find attached FOI response to your recent request .
<<FOI 3687 Response Zola .pdf>> <<Call Recording.pdf>> <<Recordings by
claimants.pdf>> <<Guidance on Restricted Use of Electronic Media in
Jobcentres .pdf>>
Regards
Central FOI Team
Jim Otram left an annotation ()
That's an informative result, FZ. Thanks.
So the DWP have two different standards as regards recordings by claimants. One for staff the DWP engages directly, and another for staff of the French poodle variety.
In the first case, it is recognised that a claimant is entitled to insist on a recording in most circ*mstances, even where no prior notice has been given; and in some circ*mstances a recording may in any event be required by the claimant as a reasonable adjustment under the equality Act; and there are no dual-copy recording requirements.
With French poodles, none of the foregoing applies.
As regards the DWP's hysterical and erroneous spouting of purported law about publication of recordings, the response also serves to show that from, at best, a mixture of ignorance and duplicity, the department continues to mislead the public in this area. All the better argument for the public interest in favour of disclosure to prevail as regards the actual legal advice the DWP has received in this area (as e.g. pursued by John Slater, at this site).
Nice one.
John Slater left an annotation ()
It appears that the DWP continue to repeat the same misinformation over and over again. Publishing a recording of your own ESA assessment is covered by the private and domestic exemption of the Data Protection Act. The test to include in any letter (in the recordings by claimants doc) is clearly an attempt to bully and scare people. The liberal use of ‘may’ proves that the DWP has no basis in law to stop people recording or publishing online. I can only talk for myself but I would happily let them report me to the ICO.
S. Martin left an annotation ()
John:
In addition, its fine to listen to everyone elses business in their open plan offices, but not openly record them, strange; so you can record them in writing though.
Under Common Law: all law must be equally applied!!! so they can record you with their CCTV, but you can't record them, strange how they openly break the law. Crucially, they employ civillian staff to monitor these cameras who don't have to conform to the DWP employees standards or disciplinary procedures.
Take a look at the DWP, its only a policy which is a corporate policy which has no legal or lawful significance so they can't stop you filming under current law.
jimmy3 left an annotation ()
This letter may be of use. Feel free to print it out and show anyone who tries to prevent you recording evidence in public places:
Meme left an annotation ()
As both the data controller and the data subject, you give yourself permission to publish your own data online. The DWP are attempting to appear authoritative in respect to data privacy in an area of law in which they have absolutely no authority to prohibit.
That officious nonsense about informing the ICO only serves to waste that organisation's time.
Frank Zola left an annotation ()
FOI request
"Can you confirm that members of the public are also free to covertly record their interactions with the DWP or it's contractors"
23 September 2012
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/r...
GDPR: Article 2
Material scope
2. This Regulation does not apply to the processing of personal data:
(c) by a natural person in the course of a purely personal or household activity;
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/6...
Data Protection Act 2018
"processing of personal data by an individual in the course of a purely personal or household activity"
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/201...
Publishing covertly recorded "interactions with the DWP or it's contractors", appears to be well beyond "a purely personal or household activity"
Anyone can contact the ICO https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/ to clarify whether it's possible for an individual to publish covert (audio & visual) recordings that included themselves, on the basis doing so would be "a purely personal or household activity", when all those included in such recordings have not given prior consent to such publication.
A summary of the ICO's opinion could be posted here as an annotation.
Meme left an annotation ()
Taking Frank Zola's suggestion I spoke to the I.C.O via live chat 'to clarify whether it's possible for an individual to publish covert (audio & visual) recordings that included themselves, on the basis doing so would be "a purely personal or household activity", when all those included in such recordings have not given prior consent to such publication.'
They stated:
'Article 2(c) of the UK GDPR states that its provisions do not apply to the processing of personal data by a natural person in the course of a purely personal or household activity. I would have thought it is unlikely that the UK GDPR would apply to the circ*mstances you're describing. The UK GDPR only applies to data processing by 'data controllers' In certain circ*mstances, such as individuals using CCTV to record outside the confines of their own property, individuals can become data controllers. However, it seems unlikely that this would apply to someone uploading a record of a conversation they've had to the internet. We can't provide concrete assessments over live chat. However, as stated above this is unlikely to be something that would provide the ICO with any immediate cause for concern.'
Frank Zola left an annotation ()
@Meme
Thanks for ICO notes
Here's a reported case:
'Why I secretly taped my disability assessment'
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-41581060
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbq0bf2p...
Chris Barker left an annotation ()
Hi Frank. Thanks for all the great work.
A little confused on this one. Can I record the restart scheme providers for use as transcripted evidence at a sanction tribunal? There is only me and my work adviser and s/ he's manager in the office?
Frank Zola left an annotation ()
There is no legal requirement, for an individual, to inform anyone they would be/are covertly recording Restart interactions, when doing so is for own personal and domestic reasons. Alternatively Restart providers could be asked for permission to record.
Creating a transcript of these recordings could be used in a court or tribunal, as could the actual recordings, but a court may have discretion not to accept such and the DWP could challenge inclusion. The court would have to satisfy itself of the veracity and authenticity of any recording or transcript.
It might be worth doing an FOI with likes of HM Courts & Tribunals Service and do research online, like:
'using recordings in a tribunal'
https://www.startpage.com/do/dsearch?que...
As these annotations are not strictly help and support for an FOI, so WDTK might remove them.
In terms of benefit sanctions there would also be the chance to request mandatory reconsideration (MR) (internal review of any adverse sanction decision by DWP) and sanction referrals under Restart have to go through a claimant's Jobcentre 'Work Coach' for them to consider referring to a Decision Maker. It might also be worth using any recording or transcript during the MR process. But would advise seeking advice and guidance when the possibility of a Restart sanction may be present: https://advicelocal.uk/ especially if the Restart provider has 'raised a compliance doubt' https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...
Restart provider guidance, including sanction related sections, on
Chapter 8: Mandating participants to undertake activity
Chapter 9: Raising a compliance doubt
Chapter 10: Participant compliance
More:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...
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