33% Yes
67% No
The Big Question is an initiative between Computer
Weekly and recruitment consultancy PSD. Each week we put the Big
Question to top IT professionals to get their take on a current
talking point.
Most IT professionals do not trust the government to protect the
data they hold on the public, this week's Big Question reveals.
The poll, which found that 67% are sceptical of the government's
ability to hold personal data securely, follows recent press
reports that raised further doubts about data vulnerability in
government systems, with the claim that "unbreakable" biometric
passports were cracked within days by a security expert.
"I guess we can trust the government with protection of our data
as much as we can trust banks, mobile companies and online shopping
companies," said IT professional Richard Kahoa.
"It is how that data will be used that I think is the main
concern," he added.
Other respondents expressed concerns that the government may not
be able to attract IT staff of a high-enough quality.
Software developer James Wibble said, "Banks get the best staff
because they pay the best money. Everyone else files in behind
them. As the public sector is pretty low down the list of
top-paying industries, we have to be happy with our data being
protected by people who are second best. We need to be prepared to
accept the odd mishap."
BCS data security site
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