tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959111893158321335.post3929834670889756943..comments2024-03-15T09:20:12.565+00:00Comments on TV Licensing: TV Licensing: Shaming Innocents into ComplianceUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959111893158321335.post-55409222417486043622015-10-23T12:27:04.038+01:002015-10-23T12:27:04.038+01:00The letter would appear to be very dubious in term...The letter would appear to be very dubious in terms of data protection. The BBC's scattergun technique of posting millions of accusing letters to addresses without TV licences means that, inevitably, these letters are being delivered to many households where TV is not watched. Effectively, the BBC is falsely accusing people of breaking the law without having any evidence.<br /><br />By making the accusation visible through a window they are clearly not using the information on their database fairly or safely and securely as the law demands.<br /><br />A few years ago the BBC refused to say how many TV Licences were held by the Royal palaces on the grounds that so few people lived there, it might be possible to work out who did and didn't have a licence.<br /><br />When it comes to the general public, however, it seems that the BBC is happy not only reveal who doesn't have a licence but also to openly accuse people of breaking the law.<br />Fred Bearnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959111893158321335.post-66979232956020192052015-10-21T16:57:23.716+01:002015-10-21T16:57:23.716+01:00I have contacted Alison Roberts (I think - am post...I have contacted Alison Roberts (I think - am posting from memory) after I was sent another very threatening letter just after receiving the standard e-mail. I pointed out to her that the terms in which her letter was couched were in direct breach of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. In my letter, I not only notified her of my administration charge for dealing with TV Licensing enquiries (and enclosed an invoice - as yet unpaid and now 3 months overdue) but asked her to 'cease and desist' from harassing me as someone doesn't watch any real time broadcast television.<br /><br />Any solicitors who see this here may care to advise - to the contrary if necessary - but I think that should they send out standard threatening letters to me in future, I would be right to report them to the Police and seek a Restraining Order and, possibly, damages under the terms of the PfHA 1997.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959111893158321335.post-48895143727775374702015-10-19T08:04:31.174+01:002015-10-19T08:04:31.174+01:00I wouldn't worry about the QR codes. Even the ...I wouldn't worry about the QR codes. Even the largest of the images is only around 15x15 pixels. Were it the smallest QR format (which it isn't, because there's another QR on the same page), you'd have only about half the data. QR error correction is good, but not /that/ good. The Royal Mail stripe may be a different matter.Richardnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959111893158321335.post-91898051884442437002015-10-17T17:38:58.215+01:002015-10-17T17:38:58.215+01:00I haven't received that one yet, but if they a...I haven't received that one yet, but if they are using the letters to publicly 'name and shame' legally licence free householders there could be data protection issues as well as potential libel issues.<br /><br />The problem of course is that even returning letters addressed to 'The Legal Occupier' as 'not known at this address' defeats the 'no contact' policy. It's all highly frustrating. I just really hope that TV Licensing will get their comeuppance sooner or later. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959111893158321335.post-36616577737031520102015-10-17T15:17:08.517+01:002015-10-17T15:17:08.517+01:00You might want to put some more black boxes on tha...You might want to put some more black boxes on that picture as they can get the recipients address of that letter from the QR codes and Royal Mail "cus code" (the long one of horizontal lines)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com