BigConversation

Well done, Stuart, and thank you. I've read the "Conversation starter" so far, and am trying to work out whether it's intended to be read by the general public or by Labour Party members. "We got rid of outdated ideology when we changed Clause 4" isn't exactly a self-contained assertion, and it has no links to provide context. (The site design also disappoints - one doesn't expect to see "Download pdf of this chapter by clicking on image" next to a random image). Oh, and I've settled for e-mailing the Labour Party a couple of rather pointed queries about its compliance with the DataProtectionAct?.

Um - it's all in the legal stuff at the bottom.  But yes, the questions are a bit slanted - and I worry how much of the postings are from party shills claiming to be real people - but the media is really taking it apart for no good reason.  In what possible circumstances can more communication be a bad thing?  It may not be a good enough thing, but it's a start.  Anyway.  I doubt I will be posting - but the posts already there scare me shitless.  If actual citizens really feel like that, then I want out.  Yesterday.  --Vitenka

The legal stuff at the bottom is for a different website. And it doesn't address the issue of what looks to me like an assumption that failure to tick a box is explicit consent to process sensitive information.

Update: they've sorted the privacy statement, but not the tick-box: I've forwarded my earlier e-mail to AnneCampbell to see whether that provokes either action or a reply.

Making it quite clear that they would very much like most of the comments they recieve to be from the party faithful, since it's rather hard to find otherwise.

(PeterTaylor) Reviving this old page to say that they clearly expect all their comments to be from the party faithful: by participating, I appear to have got my e-mail address on a list to which TonyBlair today sent an e-mail addressed "Dear Labour supporter". I think I see a blatant violation of the DataProtectionAct?, because the LabourParty? has clearly failed to ensure that sensitive personal data they process is accurate, and moreover in a situation in which I don't believe any of the conditions of Schedule 3 apply.

The site isn't even pretending to be for anyone but Labour supporters now. I never signed up, and now can't access the site; I'm taken instead to a page asking me to support Labour by signing up to said email list. --Requiem