Texting times
Daniel Korski 1:59pm
After the education email furore earlier this week, discussions are underway in ministerial offices about private emails: are they subject to the
freedom of information act? The answer is probably yes, which may not be what the government wants to hear.
But the problems that this will cause are nothing compared to what might happen next, when attention moves on to text messages. Whitehall buzzes with texts: Ministers text SpAds; SpAds text journalists; journalists text ministers, and so on. Often the messages are short and inconsequential, but not always. There is the potential for even greater embarrassment than exists with emails.
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Charles Flaccidwidger
September 23rd, 2011 2:32pm Report this commentR U kidding? LOL.
Inigo Unsworth
September 23rd, 2011 2:42pm Report this commentThis reminds of a warning from childhood that when writing the old-fashioned postcard that I was never to put anything on it that might offend my grandmother.
Don't these users of texts and emails realise that this method of communication is entirely 'open' and essentially insecure and that many 'eyes' - electronic and human - scan these messages before they reach their recipient. My guess is that we would be appalled at the many places and people with ready access to ALL our texts and emails.
Come to think about it, there's the national security angle to all this. Hmm, quite an interesting conundrum this one don't you think?
Olaf
September 23rd, 2011 2:55pm Report this commentIt's not 'probably yes' it is 'yes'.
Emails to private accounts with official content are official emails therefore subject to the Act. If the intention was to deliberately hide information that would otherwise be subject to the Act it's a criminal offence.
Anna
September 23rd, 2011 3:02pm Report this commentAs with so many other well-intentioned initiatives, in this case Government transparency, it is rapidly spiralling out of control. What next? Should Michael Gove's text to his wife "I loathe Fiona Millar!" be subject to an FOI request? Should Toby Young's doubtless similar feeling also be subject to an FOI request because he supports the government line on free schools? Should Harriet Harman's witless witterings to her fellow fools be subject to FOI requests? Well, maybe. Maybe every newborn should be implanted with a chip that sends every waking spoken/unspoken thought, every nightmare, back to some FOI database. Think of the transparency! Toddlers could be prosecuted for thinking "I hate peas", absolutely hate speech against healthy living. Above all, this should be mandated by some unelected quangocracy hot in pursuit of thought crime. And quite right too!!
Dave B
September 23rd, 2011 3:37pm Report this comment@Olaf
The emails in question were about party political business, not government business. So they should not be using .gov.uk email addresses/resources for them.
http://order-order.com/2011/09/20/gove-mail-g-mail/
MarryMeFraser
September 23rd, 2011 3:39pm Report this commentWondering aloud if any texts from Gove to the Murdochs will fall into this remit.
Beek
September 23rd, 2011 4:48pm Report this commentIf they were party political emails then what is the story?
Dave B
September 23rd, 2011 5:30pm Report this comment@Beek
I think 'journalist-with-a-grudge' is the story.
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/tobyyoung/100106034/yet-another-attempt-to-smear-michael-gove-by-his-nemesis-on-the-ft/
Sean
September 23rd, 2011 5:33pm Report this commentThe story is yet again political twonks not realising that them there gmail accounts are not secure and you should not use them for anything sensitive or anything that would upset dear old granny.
Just like old two jags when he was deputy PM and no one told him to change his pin. Who is advising these guys on technology?
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