Data Exposure Reported in Council’s New Online Booking System

A resident of Launceston reportedly discovered the personal details of other individuals while utilizing a new online booking service introduced by a local council. Becky Hold, while attempting to reserve a time slot at Launceston’s waste and recycling centre, observed that personal information fields were pre-filled with data belonging to other users. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Ms. Hold stated that repeatedly clicking the “previous” button in her web browser revealed the name, address, phone number, email address, and vehicle information of various individuals. Cornwall Council, which launched the booking system in September, issued an apology and confirmed that it had reported the data breach as required by the Data Protection Act. Ms. Hold expressed her concern, stating: “I’m horrified that the council have had such a massive data failure and have let them know. “They’re forcing us to use a system that no-one wants and unable to keep our personal details safe.” She further mentioned that she had contacted the individuals whose data was exposed to inform them of the breach, indicating she would have been “seething” if she were in their situation. A council spokesperson commented: “We are very sorry that some Cornwall residents have been affected by this issue. “We took immediate action to remove the information and we are looking into why the error occurred.” Upon its introduction, the council stated that the system was intended to decrease waiting times and queues, enhance road user safety, and lessen inconvenience for local residents and businesses. Booking slots can also be made via telephone.