Posties 'wired' to snoop while working 09 February 2005 By RICHARD TROW and KELLY ANDREW
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3181724a10,00.html Posties are being used by New Zealand Post to "snoop" on residents as they deliver mail. Mail deliverers wired with lapel microphones are recording details of houses on their routes as a new way of collecting data for New Zealand Post's business customers. A postie told a resident that the information gathered in the pilot scheme � on the state of the houses' paintwork � was to be passed to Resene Paints for use in a follow-up "your house needs painting � have we got a deal for you?" advertising campaign. The Lower Hutt resident, who contacted The Dominion Post yesterday after spotting a postie talking into a lapel microphone, is appalled at the apparent breach of trust. "New Zealanders would be shocked at the thought of our trusted posties as a spy. "Posties know all about (us) from the mail they hand deliver ... Who (we) bank with ... any professional or business activity occurring at the address .. . fines and debt collection-type activity." The man, who did not want to be identified, said it made him feel less secure in his home. "Where does it stop? Who's at home in the daytime? Who has pre-teen kids at this address, based on mail type and toys visible?" A New Zealand Post spokesman defended the "small" five-day trial in Eastbourne and Petone. "We are looking to provide innovative new ways to help our customers ... Resene in this case. "Posties are already asked to give feedback to councils about potholes and dangerous dogs." But the company would welcome feedback, the spokesman said. No names, only addresses, would be passed on so the Privacy Act was not breached. Posties taking part had volunteered, he said. Resene marketing manager Karen Warman said it was too early for the company to make use of the information. "We haven't received anything yet. We're figuring out what to do with it." The pilot had run since Christmas, she said. Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union national secretary Andrew Little said the union had been told about the practice by members but none had complained. The practice could have some community good, but whether it should be used for commercial benefit was questionable, Mr Little said. "For it to be used as a source of market research without disclosing it to the public at large is a bit rich." Eastbourne resident Laurie Atkinson said his immediate reaction would be "to tell them to go away". "I think I'd be a bit miffed if that happened to me, but luckily I just had the house painted. I don't think it's appropriate." He was concerned it could set a precedent and posties could start passing on information about who was sending mail to a resident. Wellington lawyer John Edwards, who specialises in privacy cases, said the scheme was not a breach of privacy because the information was publicly available. "It's not personal information, it's observations about the outside of a house. If, in addition to the address, they passed on information about the identity of the people who received mail at the address, that would be a problem." The New Zealand Post spokesman said posties would report only on what could be observed by anyone walking down a street. No personal information about householders would be passed on You are a subscribed member of the infowarrior list. Visit www.infowarrior.org for list information or to unsubscribe. This message may be redistributed freely in its entirety. Any and all copyrights appearing in list messages are maintained by their respective owners.
