Address /DOB should be omitted from entry cards. - Data protection

katonas · Post by **katonas** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 9:19 pm

Is this info really needed every time ?

* Naomi * · Post by *** Naomi *** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 9:59 pm

Surely DOB is needed to get the correct class? J14, J16 etc? as those new to slalom often mistake which class they are in (juniors particularly).
And i thought that the address was needed for administration purposes? ranking compilers and others? I don't see why these need to be omitted. Only the organisers and official people see the entry cards.

Mark Shaw · Post by **Mark Shaw** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 10:21 pm

I think what Stephen is getting at is that if you have applied for your bib already then the bib officer has your address and DoB and therefore it wouldn't be that hard to share this information with those that required it so why does it have to be entered on the card every time. We could just have a single source of checked registration data online that just confirmed the age group you were registered in, i.e. J14, M45, etc.

Addresses would be a little more tricky but I don't know whether the slalom organiser actually needs this information or not (maybe to post out prizes that hadn't been collected at prize giving? You could always track someone down via their slalom club assuming they are a member of one!).

So the only cases where this data would still be required would be Division 4 races and those attending a race for re-ranking status/recently re-ranked in to a division and still waiting for their bib.

oldandslow · Post by **oldandslow** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 10:40 pm

It is a very good point... think about the slaloms close to town centres, like Matlock. It wouldn't take much for a passing no-gooder to take a handful of cards and they have key info for whatever dodgy dealings they choose!

Spiderman · Post by **Spiderman** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 3:46 am

Hmmmm, I am quite anti when it comes to social behaviour paranoia. I think there are far more good people than bad and refuse to run my life because of what the very very few might do. Accordingly, I have no problem with entering all my details anywhere. Concerning the main issue though, I think Bib Officers (perhaps it would be a question best answered by Bib Officers of course) would benefit from all our info on each card as would event organisers so that all the info is there, to hand immediately, for whatever purpose thay require it for. Also, as this is a contact sport, i think its a good plan for all the info to be there and "signed off" as accurate/current by the competitor.

Any concerns about people not wanting to tell others how old they are is not really sensible when so many paddle in age related classes and, really, who cares how old anyone is anyway? All IMHO of course

Canadian Paddler · Post by **Canadian Paddler** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 8:38 am

1) Not everyone is good about telling bib officers that they have moved
2) we give out prizes in lower gae ranges than standard, and getting entries on the day means we can do a quick check of claimed age range vs dob, rather than trying to look them all up on a list
2) it means we can have a single card for newbies and oldbies. So simplifying div 4, unless you suggest that address is optional. .

PaulBolton · Post by **PaulBolton** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 11:05 am

A few months ago some low-life got hold of my wife's name and address - nothing else at all. With this information they managed to scam 5 separate lines of credit. It was all fairly easy to sort out (though police statements, phone calls and confirmatory letters were required each time) for one simple reason - the thieves didn't know her date of birth. Therefore, the information on entry cards is very valuable to identity criminals and anything that limits the number of times names, addresses and DoBs has to be exposed should be welcomed.

PeterC · Post by **PeterC** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 10:46 pm

As an organiser there is a need to have both ages (I could settle for age that year although would prefer DOB - and we may now need this for the vets as well!!) and addresses of competitors. This information made be used for ranking but also in the event that something unfortunate happens - god forbid - and we need to know and identify exactly who is attached to a particular Bib. In this event we would not have time to find a bib officer and garner the data from them.

I absolutely agree that the information should not be on public view. At the present time the name and bib number are displayed but there is no good reason why we should not just display the bib number on the results side of the card.

As to getting details from the Bib officers this does not make sense as we would have to identify ourselves and they should only disclose information where we can demonstrate that a particular competitor has entered. We would really need name and address and possibly even DOB to do this as names and bib numbers are publicly available on the ranking lists!!!

katonas · Post by **katonas** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 11:28 pm

1. We should only have to state our age on a specified date on the card.

2. If a passer by picks up a few cards, I don't want it known I'm not at my address. If the cards cannot be displayed in a secure place then addresses shouldn't be on them.

3. Are the cards shredded when finished with, or put out with the rubbish to be blown around on some rubbish dump ?

ps. I've not clicked on a vote (unless accidentally) but I'm told I've voted already ?! Yeh or neh - who knows...

Ken Trollope · Post by **Ken Trollope** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 8:44 am

As an organiser I don't require dob infact all I need is the last 2 digits of the year of birth so next year 109-94 = 15 = J16
109-70=39 =M35.
Any cards I have that are not sent to ranking compilers are kept safe for a short while incase of a late query and then shredded.
Anybody can get your address just look at the amount of junk mail you recieve and its not too dificult to find your dob.

Munchkin · Post by **Munchkin** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 9:26 am

As a general rule I don't put my whole address on my card as I know that the ranking compiler has my full address and I am usually filling in so many cards I cannot be bothered to write out the whole thing lots of times!!! Maybe if you are concerned you could take this approach?

Dee · Post by **Dee** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 9:38 am

As an organiser of an early season event (usually first div1/2 of the season):
- there are always some juniors who get their age groups wrong - so I at least need year of birth,
- there are also always some competitors who haven't applied for/received their bibs, so I can't get up to date information from the bib officers.
- there are sometimes a few who enter, don't pay, and don't turn up. Therefore, from next year I will not accept entries from anyone without an address, and will chase the culprits for payment for which I really need an address.

So I would like to retain year of birth and address on the cards. Year of birth is only required for those wishing to claim Junior, U23 or DV status.

Cards are displayed with address side in control and whilst this isn't exactly secure, neither is it open to the public.

At the end of an event cards are sent to ranking compilers (by post).

Katona, as a ranking compiler, I try to take reasonable precautions:
- I keep all cards until a month or two after the end of the season and then shred them, but I don't store them in a safe!
- I do however also keep details on our home network; this is reasonably secure but I doubt it would be impregnable to a professional attacker (probably not worth their while either).

There is an argument that we should do more in the way of dpa, but if we push for higher standards we will make it harder to administrate slaloms and ranking lists, so there needs to be a degree of pragmatism.

Perhaps though there should be a rule in the book for organisers/ranking compilers that all cards containing addresses must be shredded not binned?

katonas · Post by **katonas** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 10:40 am

Ken- I'm not worried about someone knowing my address, I'm worried someone will know I'm not at that address on the day of the slalom.

Dee- If I were an organiser I would refuse entries unless they were accompanied by payment. It is not fair to those who always send a cheque, to allow others not to do so. I have lost several entry fees through not being able to attend events.
Do you ensure no one could walk away with the cards or see the addresses at an event ?

Spiderman · Post by **Spiderman** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 2:13 pm

Aside from PB's unfortunate experience above (sorry to learn of that event) I personally think you have more chance of winning the lottery than suffering identity fraud or some other adverse event from fully completing the details on a slalom entry card. I seem to recall the information is pretty much the same for when I first completed one about 37 years ago and whilst, yes, I must concur that such an event could stem from the information thereon, I simply think the chances are so slim as to give more weight to the positives of completing the card ie the people who will benefit from it who are supposed to be receiving it.

The media would have you believe your domestic rubbish is being filtered and disected by countless criminal minds for ill gotten gains....its not. Really its not. My advice is be aware of bad people but dont let them spoil your one chance of a great life by the introduction of paranoia because of the handfull out there.

Here's hoping

katonas · Post by **katonas** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 5:20 pm

Dee- Presumably those who send you an entry card + cheque could omit their address.

Spiderman- Unfortunately the presence of this topic in a public forum has just increased the risk. My apolygies. Anyone willing to accept the risk, however small, is free to do so, but it doesn't mean everyone has to.