The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) has contacted Dublin City Council in relation to its data protection concerns surrounding the City Council’s new anti-litter poster initiative. As part of the initiative the City Council had erected a billboard in the north inner city featuring CCTV images of 12 people who appear to be engaging in illegal dumping around the Amiens Street-Five Lamps area. Although the faces were slightly blurred due to the quality of the CCTV footage, the City Council stated that the people would be able to identify themselves from the images, as most likely would their neighbours.
Due to the personal data element of the CCTV images, it is reported that the ODPC has been in contact with the City Council to advise them that the processing of personal data must be done fairly and proportionally and must not be overly prejudicial to a person’s right to privacy.