Government Officials Doing Things Right

County Blocks Access to Online Records Amid Privacy Scare
Source of Title - reprinted with permission

2/17/2006

Judith Pascale, the acting county clerk for Suffolk County, New York recently released a statement announcing that her office has blocked access to its online land records following reports that its constituents' Social Security numbers were contained in various documents. 

According to a statement released by her office, the county is highly concerned about invading the privacy of others and, thus, acted to safeguard those living in the county from online exposure.

"The people of Suffolk County can be confident that their privacy is my number one concern and every effort will be made to keep their information secure," Pascale said in the prepared statement. ""Fewer than 10 instances have surfaced where Social Security numbers were identified. These images were immediately and completely removed from the Website."

The move comes a day after Newsday reported that thousands of Social Security numbers belonging to Suffolk homeowners could be found in copies of mortgages and deeds filed at the clerk's office and posted online.

Clerks statewide are confronted with the same issue, added Thomas Clingan, the county clerk for Albany County, in an interview with Newsday.com. Clingan noted that legislation needs to be enacted statewide that would permit clerks to reject documents that contain personal, sensitive information. He noted that on many documents, such as deeds and mortgages, this information is not required.

To learn more, please read "NY County Places Sensitive Information Online."

© 2006, Source of Title

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