Gordon Pace, Hamrun.
Unsolicited text messages
I never cease to be amazed at the lack of ethical standards of some politicians. I am a registered voter on the first district. PN candidate Malcolm Mifsud decided I might be convinced to vote for him through a number of unsolicited text messages to my private mobile number.
The 'informative' texts notified me, among other things, that he was about to speak on Radio 101, and that he has uploaded a video on You Tube. In flagrant violation of the Data Protection Act, not only was I sent these text messages without ever registering for them, but there was no number on which to notify the sender that I was not interested in his feeble campaigning. Dr Mifsud is not a doctor, but a lawyer, so his ignorance of data protection legislation makes one wonder.
I have reported the breach to the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, received an acknowledgement, followed by yet another spam text from Dr Mifsud a few days later. Clearly, the Data Protection Commission needs time to process the complaint, and I wonder whether March 8 is a good date by when to notify Dr Mifsud to stop spamming his constituents. Unless, of course, his political vocation somehow makes him immune to the law.
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Dion Borg
Mar 2nd 2008, 12:41
Notwithstanding all the hype about the Data Protection Act….our dear all know it all main political parties have had the gal to pretentiously exempt themselves of the salient provisions.
So yes, they ‘are allowing themselves’ to collate, store retrieve and use our personal data – after all aren’t we still pawns that they try to influence when it is opportune?
So dear Mr. Pace, you are going to keep own receiving personalized letters at your address (some also cheekily financed by taxpayers funds).
Moreover do not be surprised if you receive a telephone call on your home number if you dare to ‘fail’ to cast your vote by noon, and be sure that they will be watching you and noting your walk to the polling booth – or else extract your personal details from the list of non-voters.
To date only AD has criticized (is this an insult Dr. Gonzi?) such demeaning abuses to any persons democratic right of his own privacy.