Campaign group, LeaveEU.com co-founder Arron Banks' Twitter account was hacked, causing his thousands of private messages to and from random people to leak and get exposed. In a statement he recently gave, Banks accused the social media company of taking too long to address the issue and said, Twitter had intentionally chosen to leave his personal details online.
In a statement BBC News posted on its website, data protection consultant, Tim Turner said, "Even if Arron Banks has Twitter for personal use instead of as Leave.EU," the information was stolen from Twitter, and that possibly involves the Data Protection Act. The official added, there are public defenses interest for utilizing illegally obtained data, but that needs a journalist or any other individual to gamble that he or she can successfully debate on—that the public interest backs whatever use is made out of it.
Breach of Data Protection Laws
Cybersecurity experts have it that if the hacker is caught, he could be indicted under the Computer Misuse Act and that even those who used the same material would also be held accountable. The tech specialists added, one cannot know for sure, that "the public interest will back up any specific course of action;" an individual, they said, would have to act first and find out what comes next. According to the authorities, they are currently investigating the issue.
In an article posted on The Guardian, a spokesman confirmed they are investigating whether any offense has been committed under the said Act, following receipt of a report that a Twitter account was, indeed, compromised. Early this year, Leave.EU and an insurance firm that Banks owns were fined almost $155,000 by the Information Commissioner's Office for breach of data protection laws. Meanwhile, journalist Carole Cadwalladr claimed, "Banks has shown extraordinary contempt for the British data laws, as well as the ICO," the female media practitioner added, maybe time for Banks for some reflections on the need for the said regulations and laws to enforce them. Cadwalladr is known for being in a constant battle against Banks for the former's investigations into the latter's affairs.
Leaked Private Messages
The online news site, The Sun, stated that thousands of private direct messages reported to have spanned for many years were shared and exposed to the site by the hackers. In connection to the issue, the police investigation has been launched and that Twitter, for its part, said, the company has also taken legal steps to guarantee the security of the compromised Twitter account.
A Twitter spokesperson said, the company would continue to take a firm implementation action, in line with its policy, which strictly disallows the distribution on its platform, of materials obtained in any form. Unfortunately, the direct personal messages were made available by hackers through downloadable links. The original file, though, is no longer available online as of this time. Until now, people responsible for hacking remain unknown.
