[Talisman]

I thought this "data processor" aspect was interesting. So to find out more, I took a look at the Data Protection Act of 1998. But based what it says in its definitional terms, principles, and applicability, I don't believe it applies to anything we're doing.

We're here running a general or special interest forum on the internet -- we're not in the role of (1) collecting personal data on a group of individuals ... so we can (2) process their personal information through an automated system ... for the purpose of (3) creating and maintaining a body of personal records on all these people. (That's what this Act is for.)

If you read through this Act, you'll see it protects people against organizations that run data processing operations using VERY PERSONAL stuff..... as in credit reporting agencies, medical record filing, direct marketing purposes, and educational records. That's not what we do.

By "personal data" ..... it defines this as the sort of information about a living individual that would identify who they are (from that data). It includes opinions expressed about these people by others. And it goes on to address what it calls "sensitive personal data," which it defines as:

(a) the racial or ethnic origin of the data subject,

(b) his political opinions,

(c) his religious beliefs or other beliefs of a similar nature,

(d) whether he is a member of a trade union (within the meaning of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992),

(e) his physical or mental health or condition,

(f) his sexual life,

(g) the commission or alleged commission by him of any offence, or

(h) any proceedings for any offence committed or alleged to have been committed by him, the disposal of such proceedings or the sentence of any court in such proceedings.

Nothing we do involves anyone's full name, address, marital status, employment history, dental records, credit rating, military service rank, social security number, voting records, party affiliation, financial records, criminal arrest record... or anything at all personal about them.

Under "application of Act" ....... it applies only if the data controller is established in the United Kingdom and the data are processed in the context of that establishment, or the data collector is using equipment in the United Kingdom to process the data.