diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | app/controllers/request_controller.rb | 4 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | app/views/comment/_comment_form.rhtml | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | app/views/help/_sidebar.rhtml | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | app/views/help/about.rhtml | 152 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | app/views/help/privacy.rhtml | 160 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | app/views/request/new.rhtml | 8 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | app/views/request/preview.rhtml | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | app/views/request/show_response.rhtml | 4 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | app/views/user/_signup.rhtml | 6 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | todo.txt | 4 |
10 files changed, 178 insertions, 166 deletions
diff --git a/app/controllers/request_controller.rb b/app/controllers/request_controller.rb index 67fcf41ba..c8a75ff63 100644 --- a/app/controllers/request_controller.rb +++ b/app/controllers/request_controller.rb @@ -250,9 +250,9 @@ class RequestController < ApplicationController message = "" if @outgoing_message.contains_email? if @user.nil? - message += "<p>You do not need to include your email in the request in order to get a reply, as we will ask for it on the next screen (<a href=\"/help/about#email_address\">details</a>).</p>"; + message += "<p>You do not need to include your email in the request in order to get a reply, as we will ask for it on the next screen (<a href=\"/help/privacy#email_address\">details</a>).</p>"; else - message += "<p>You do not need to include your email in the request in order to get a reply (<a href=\"/help/about#email_address\">details</a>).</p>"; + message += "<p>You do not need to include your email in the request in order to get a reply (<a href=\"/help/privacy#email_address\">details</a>).</p>"; end message += "<p>We recommend that you edit your request and remove the email address. If you leave it, the email address will be sent to the authority, but will not be displayed on the site.</p>" diff --git a/app/views/comment/_comment_form.rhtml b/app/views/comment/_comment_form.rhtml index d7a3e1396..806dafecb 100644 --- a/app/views/comment/_comment_form.rhtml +++ b/app/views/comment/_comment_form.rhtml @@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ <%= hidden_field_tag 'submitted_comment', 1 %> <%= hidden_field_tag 'preview', 1 %> <%= submit_tag "Preview your annotation" %> - (<strong>no ranty</strong> politics, read our <a href="/help/about#moderation">moderation policy</a>) + (<strong>no ranty</strong> politics, read our <a href="/help/privacy#moderation">moderation policy</a>) </p> <% end %> diff --git a/app/views/help/_sidebar.rhtml b/app/views/help/_sidebar.rhtml index 875cd9a57..63c9c0eee 100644 --- a/app/views/help/_sidebar.rhtml +++ b/app/views/help/_sidebar.rhtml @@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ <ul> <li><%= link_to_unless_current "Introduction", "/help/about" %></li> <li><%= link_to_unless_current "Making requests", "/help/about#making_requests" %></li> - <li><%= link_to_unless_current "Privacy policy", "/help/about#privacy" %></li> + <li><%= link_to_unless_current "Privacy policy", "/help/privacy" %></li> <li><%= link_to_unless_current "FOI officers", "/help/officers" %></li> <li><%= link_to_unless_current "Credits", "/help/credits" %></li> <li><%= link_to_unless_current "Programmers API", "/help/api" %></li> diff --git a/app/views/help/about.rhtml b/app/views/help/about.rhtml index 95788e962..8b5127a66 100644 --- a/app/views/help/about.rhtml +++ b/app/views/help/about.rhtml @@ -311,158 +311,6 @@ you can always make the same request again via WhatDoTheyKnow. </dl> -<h1 id="privacy">Privacy policy <a href="#privacy">#</a> </h1> - -<dl> - -<dt id="email_address">Who gets to see my email address? <a href="#email_address">#</a> </dt> - -<dd><p>We will not disclose your email address to anyone unless we are obliged to by law, -or you ask us to. This includes the public authority that you are sending a -request to. They only get to see an email address -@whatdotheyknow.com which is specific to that request. </p> -<p>If you send a message to another user on the site, then it will reveal your -email address to them. You will be told that this is going to happen.</p> -</dd> - -<dt id="nasty_spam">Will you send nasty, brutish spam to my email address? <a href="#nasty_spam">#</a> </dt> -<dd>Nope. After you sign up to WhatDoTheyKnow we will only send you emails -relating to a request you made, an email alert that you have signed up for, -or for other reasons that you specifically authorise. We will never give or -sell your email addresses to anyone else, unless we are obliged to by law, or -you ask us to. -</dd> - -<dt id="public_request">Why will my name and my request appear publicly on the site? <a href="#public_request">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> -<p>We publish your request on the Internet so that anybody can read it and -make use of the information that you have found. We do not normally delete -requests (<a href="#delete_requests">more details</a>). -</p> -<p> -Your name is tangled up with your request, so has to be published as well. -It is only fair, as we're going to publish the name of the civil servant who -writes the response to your request. Using your real name also helps people -get in touch with you to assist you with your research or to campaign with you. -</p> -<p>By law, you must use your real name for the request to be a valid Freedom of -Information request. See the next question for alternatives if you do not want -to publish your full name. -</p> -</dd> - -<dt id="real_name">Can I make an FOI request using a pseudonym? <a href="#real_name">#</a> </dt> - - -<dd> -<p>Technically, you must use your real name for your request to be a valid Freedom of Information request in law. See this -<a href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/freedom_of_information/detailed_specialist_guides/name_of_applicant_fop083_v1.pdf">guidance from the Information Commissioner</a> (January 2009). -</p> - -<p>However, the same guidance also says it is good practice for the public -authority to still consider a request made using an obvious pseudonym. -You should refer to this if a public authority refuses a request because you -used a pseudonym.</p> - -<p>Be careful though, even if the authority follows this good practice, the -pseudonym will probably make it impossible for you to complain to the -Information Commissioner later about the handling of your request. -</p> - -<p>There are several good alternatives to using a pseudonym.</p> - -<ul> -<li>Use a different form of your name. The guidance says -that "Mr Arthur Thomas Roberts" can make a valid request as "Arthur Roberts", -"A. T. Roberts", or "Mr Roberts", but <strong>not</strong> as "Arthur" or "A.T.R.". -</li> -<li>Women may use their maiden name.</li> -<li>In most cases, you may use any name by which you are "widely known and/or -is regularly used". -<li>Use the name of an organisation, the name of a company, the trading name of -a company, or the trading name of a sole trader. -<li>Ask someone else to make the request on your behalf. -<li>You may, if you are really stuck, ask us to make the request on -your behalf. Please <a href="/help/contact">contact us</a> with -a good reason why you cannot make the request yourself and cannot -ask a friend to. We don't have the resources to do this for everyone. -</ul> - -<p>Please do not try to impersonate someone else.</p> - -</dd> - -<dt id="delete_requests">Can you delete my requests, or alter my name? <a href="#delete_requests">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> - -<p>WhatDoTheyKnow is a permanent, public archive of Freedom of -Information requests. Even though you may not find the response to -a request useful any more, it may be of interest to others. For this -reason, we will not delete requests. -</p> - -<p>Under exceptional circumstances we may remove or change your name -on the website, following similar policy as for the names of -public servants (<a href="/help/officers#takedown">see here</a>). -Similarly, we may also remove other personal information. -</p> - -<p>If you're worried about this before you make your request, -see the section on <a href="#real_name">pseudonyms</a>.</p> - -</dd> - - -<dt id="full_address">They've asked for my postal address! <a href="#full_address">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> -<p>If a public authority asks you for your full, physical address, reply to them saying -that section 8.1.b of the FOI Act asks for an "address for correspondence", -and that the email address you are using is sufficient. -</p> -<p> -The Ministry of Justice has <a href="http://www.justice.gov.uk/guidance/foi-procedural-what.htm">guidance -on this</a> – -<em>"As well as hard copy written correspondence, requests that are -transmitted electronically (for example, in emails) are acceptable -... If a request is received by email and no postal address is given, the email -address should be treated as the return address." -</em> -</p> -<p>As if that isn't enough, the Information Commissioner's -<a href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/freedom_of_information/practical_application/foi_hints_for_practitioners_handing_foi_and_eir_requests_2008_final.pdf">Hints for Practitioners</a> say -<em>"Any correspondence could include a request for information. If it is written (this includes e-mail), legible, gives the name of the applicant, an address for reply (which could be electronic), and includes a description of the information required, then it will fall within the scope of the legislation."</em> -</p> -</dd> - -<dt id="postal_answer">No no, they need a postal address to send a paper response! <a href="#postal_answer">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> -<p>If an authority only has a paper copy of the information that you want, -they may ask you for a postal address. To start with, try persuading them -to scan in the documents for you. You can even <a href="http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/car_parking_charges_policy_and_a#outgoing-532">offer to gift them a scanner</a>, which in that particular case -embarrassed the authority into finding one they had already.</p> - -<p>If that doesn't work, and you want to provide your postal address privately -in order to receive the documents, mark your request as "They are going to reply by post", and it will -give you an email address to use for that purpose.</p> -</dd> - -<dt id="moderation">How do you moderate request annotations? <a href="#moderation">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> -<p>Annotations on WhatDoTheyKnow are to help -people get the information they want, or to give them pointers to places they -can go to help them act on it. We reserve the right to remove anything else. -</p> -<p>Endless, political discussions are not allowed. -Post a link to a suitable forum or campaign site elsewhere.</p> -<dd> - -</dl> - <div id="hash_link_padding"></div> diff --git a/app/views/help/privacy.rhtml b/app/views/help/privacy.rhtml new file mode 100644 index 000000000..3c09e87bc --- /dev/null +++ b/app/views/help/privacy.rhtml @@ -0,0 +1,160 @@ +<% @title = "Privacy policy" %> + +<%= render :partial => 'sidebar' %> + +<h1 id="privacy"><%= @title %> <a href="#privacy">#</a> </h1> + +<dl> + +<dt id="email_address">Who gets to see my email address? <a href="#email_address">#</a> </dt> + +<dd><p>We will not disclose your email address to anyone unless we are obliged to by law, +or you ask us to. This includes the public authority that you are sending a +request to. They only get to see an email address +@whatdotheyknow.com which is specific to that request. </p> +<p>If you send a message to another user on the site, then it will reveal your +email address to them. You will be told that this is going to happen.</p> +</dd> + +<dt id="nasty_spam">Will you send nasty, brutish spam to my email address? <a href="#nasty_spam">#</a> </dt> +<dd>Nope. After you sign up to WhatDoTheyKnow we will only send you emails +relating to a request you made, an email alert that you have signed up for, +or for other reasons that you specifically authorise. We will never give or +sell your email addresses to anyone else, unless we are obliged to by law, or +you ask us to. +</dd> + +<dt id="public_request">Why will my name and my request appear publicly on the site? <a href="#public_request">#</a> </dt> + +<dd> +<p>We publish your request on the Internet so that anybody can read it and +make use of the information that you have found. We do not normally delete +requests (<a href="#delete_requests">more details</a>). +</p> +<p> +Your name is tangled up with your request, so has to be published as well. +It is only fair, as we're going to publish the name of the civil servant who +writes the response to your request. Using your real name also helps people +get in touch with you to assist you with your research or to campaign with you. +</p> +<p>By law, you must use your real name for the request to be a valid Freedom of +Information request. See the next question for alternatives if you do not want +to publish your full name. +</p> +</dd> + +<dt id="real_name">Can I make an FOI request using a pseudonym? <a href="#real_name">#</a> </dt> + + +<dd> +<p>Technically, you must use your real name for your request to be a valid Freedom of Information request in law. See this +<a href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/freedom_of_information/detailed_specialist_guides/name_of_applicant_fop083_v1.pdf">guidance from the Information Commissioner</a> (January 2009). +</p> + +<p>However, the same guidance also says it is good practice for the public +authority to still consider a request made using an obvious pseudonym. +You should refer to this if a public authority refuses a request because you +used a pseudonym.</p> + +<p>Be careful though, even if the authority follows this good practice, the +pseudonym will probably make it impossible for you to complain to the +Information Commissioner later about the handling of your request. +</p> + +<p>There are several good alternatives to using a pseudonym.</p> + +<ul> +<li>Use a different form of your name. The guidance says +that "Mr Arthur Thomas Roberts" can make a valid request as "Arthur Roberts", +"A. T. Roberts", or "Mr Roberts", but <strong>not</strong> as "Arthur" or "A.T.R.". +</li> +<li>Women may use their maiden name.</li> +<li>In most cases, you may use any name by which you are "widely known and/or +is regularly used". +<li>Use the name of an organisation, the name of a company, the trading name of +a company, or the trading name of a sole trader. +<li>Ask someone else to make the request on your behalf. +<li>You may, if you are really stuck, ask us to make the request on +your behalf. Please <a href="/help/contact">contact us</a> with +a good reason why you cannot make the request yourself and cannot +ask a friend to. We don't have the resources to do this for everyone. +</ul> + +<p>Please do not try to impersonate someone else.</p> + +</dd> + +<dt id="delete_requests">Can you delete my requests, or alter my name? <a href="#delete_requests">#</a> </dt> + +<dd> + +<p>WhatDoTheyKnow is a permanent, public archive of Freedom of +Information requests. Even though you may not find the response to +a request useful any more, it may be of interest to others. For this +reason, we will not delete requests. +</p> + +<p>Under exceptional circumstances we may remove or change your name +on the website, following similar policy as for the names of +public servants (<a href="/help/officers#takedown">see here</a>). +Similarly, we may also remove other personal information. +</p> + +<p>If you're worried about this before you make your request, +see the section on <a href="#real_name">pseudonyms</a>.</p> + +</dd> + + +<dt id="full_address">They've asked for my postal address! <a href="#full_address">#</a> </dt> + +<dd> +<p>If a public authority asks you for your full, physical address, reply to them saying +that section 8.1.b of the FOI Act asks for an "address for correspondence", +and that the email address you are using is sufficient. +</p> +<p> +The Ministry of Justice has <a href="http://www.justice.gov.uk/guidance/foi-procedural-what.htm">guidance +on this</a> – +<em>"As well as hard copy written correspondence, requests that are +transmitted electronically (for example, in emails) are acceptable +... If a request is received by email and no postal address is given, the email +address should be treated as the return address." +</em> +</p> +<p>As if that isn't enough, the Information Commissioner's +<a href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/freedom_of_information/practical_application/foi_hints_for_practitioners_handing_foi_and_eir_requests_2008_final.pdf">Hints for Practitioners</a> say +<em>"Any correspondence could include a request for information. If it is written (this includes e-mail), legible, gives the name of the applicant, an address for reply (which could be electronic), and includes a description of the information required, then it will fall within the scope of the legislation."</em> +</p> +</dd> + +<dt id="postal_answer">No no, they need a postal address to send a paper response! <a href="#postal_answer">#</a> </dt> + +<dd> +<p>If an authority only has a paper copy of the information that you want, +they may ask you for a postal address. To start with, try persuading them +to scan in the documents for you. You can even <a href="http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/car_parking_charges_policy_and_a#outgoing-532">offer to gift them a scanner</a>, which in that particular case +embarrassed the authority into finding one they had already.</p> + +<p>If that doesn't work, and you want to provide your postal address privately +in order to receive the documents, mark your request as "They are going to reply by post", and it will +give you an email address to use for that purpose.</p> +</dd> + +<dt id="moderation">How do you moderate request annotations? <a href="#moderation">#</a> </dt> + +<dd> +<p>Annotations on WhatDoTheyKnow are to help +people get the information they want, or to give them pointers to places they +can go to help them act on it. We reserve the right to remove anything else. +</p> +<p>Endless, political discussions are not allowed. +Post a link to a suitable forum or campaign site elsewhere.</p> +<dd> + +</dl> + + +<div id="hash_link_padding"></div> + + diff --git a/app/views/request/new.rhtml b/app/views/request/new.rhtml index 1b061fd46..618b9de70 100644 --- a/app/views/request/new.rhtml +++ b/app/views/request/new.rhtml @@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ </li> <li>Write your request in <strong>simple, precise language</strong>.</li> <li>Ask for <strong>specific</strong> documents or information, this site is not suitable for general enquiries.</li> - <li>Keep it <strong>focused</strong>, you'll be more likely to get what you want (<a href="/help/about/#focused">why?</a>).</li> + <li>Keep it <strong>focused</strong>, you'll be more likely to get what you want (<a href="/help/about#focused">why?</a>).</li> <li>This site is <strong>public</strong>. Everything you type and any response will be published.</li> </ul> @@ -124,15 +124,15 @@ <p class="form_note"> Everything that you enter on this page, including <strong>your name</strong>, will be <strong>displayed publicly</strong> on - this website forever (<a href="/help/about/#public_request">why?</a>). + this website forever (<a href="/help/privacy#public_request">why?</a>). If you are thinking of using a pseudonym, - please <a href="/help/about/#real_name">read this first</a>. + please <a href="/help/privacy#real_name">read this first</a>. </p> <% else %> <p class="form_note"> Everything that you enter on this page will be <strong>displayed publicly</strong> on - this website forever (<a href="/help/about/#public_request">why?</a>). + this website forever (<a href="/help/privacy#public_request">why?</a>). </p> <% end %> diff --git a/app/views/request/preview.rhtml b/app/views/request/preview.rhtml index 97b92ffae..23f3e0759 100644 --- a/app/views/request/preview.rhtml +++ b/app/views/request/preview.rhtml @@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ <ul> <li>Check you haven't included any <strong>personal information</strong>.</li> <li>Your name, request and any responses will appear in <strong>search engines</strong> - (<a href="/help/about#public_request">details</a>). + (<a href="/help/privacy#public_request">details</a>). </li> </ul> diff --git a/app/views/request/show_response.rhtml b/app/views/request/show_response.rhtml index ed32a1b67..771081694 100644 --- a/app/views/request/show_response.rhtml +++ b/app/views/request/show_response.rhtml @@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ </dt> <dd> The law, the Ministry of Justice and the Information Commissioner - all say that an email is sufficient (<a href="/help/about#full_address">more details</a>). + all say that an email is sufficient (<a href="/help/privacy#full_address">more details</a>). At the bottom of this page, write a reply to the authority explaining this to them. </dd> @@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ </dt> <dd> At the bottom of this page, write a reply to them trying to persuade them to scan it in - (<a href="/help/about#postal_answer">more details</a>). + (<a href="/help/privacy#postal_answer">more details</a>). </dd> <dt> diff --git a/app/views/user/_signup.rhtml b/app/views/user/_signup.rhtml index 2fa6dbf77..65b5ce6f2 100644 --- a/app/views/user/_signup.rhtml +++ b/app/views/user/_signup.rhtml @@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ <div class="form_item_note"> We will not reveal your email address to anybody unless you or the law tell us to - (<a href="/help/about/#privacy">details</a>). + (<a href="/help/privacy">details</a>). </div> <p> @@ -21,10 +21,10 @@ </p> <div class="form_item_note"> Your <strong>name will appear publicly</strong> - (<a href="/help/about/#public_request">why?</a>) + (<a href="/help/privacy#public_request">why?</a>) on this website and in search engines. If you are thinking of using a pseudonym, please - <a href="/help/about/#real_name">read this first</a>. + <a href="/help/privacy#real_name">read this first</a>. </div> <p> @@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ Link to API help - Chain links to next help page - "Can I help out" a bit invisible +- Remove slashes on end of help URLs + +Keep URL through funnel for Louise + Tag search |