Problems Using the GlosBMD website (General)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Tuesday, March 28, 2017, 17:54 (2580 days ago) @ Jefff

Further to the above, I have just found this announcement on the Glos Family History Society website. I'm disappointed to read that what had been a very useful FHS resource is not faulty but has been deliberately changed, and rather than being a very useful research tool it now appears to be a device to help us purchase BMD certificates...
I fully understand and appreciate the need for Data Protection, but feel this response is somewhat over-the-top. I also fail to see what sensitive Data was available on the "old" GlosBMD site that isn't already still available on the various Subscription Research sites. I do hope I'm wrong and even being unfair, I do hope the changes are temporary, but that's the situation as this individual reads it.

Posted on 3rd January 2017 by DAH

Please Note their appears to be a problem with full information being displayed.

Response from Gloucestershire Registration Office:

“The changes to the BMD site were made in order to bring us into line with GRO search criteria. Prior to this we have been potentially contravening Data Protection regulations by allowing searches to provide too much information. By continuing to allow this, we could have been liable for a hefty fine by the Information Commissioner. The amended search will provide enough information for certificates to be identified and ordered although I appreciate that this is a change to what people have been used to seeing and that it has concerned some users. I have therefore gone back to GRO to confirm exactly what they will allow and when we have a response I will let you know.

The registration service falls under the Home Office and their key priority is Public Protection and Counter Fraud. Copy certificates is one of the main areas of concern when it comes to creating false identities and so ensuring that the data that is available is proportionate has to be paramount. GRO had been in touch with us in the past as they had identified that our search facility was allowing too much data to be seen. ”

As soon as we have more information we will inform our users.

Please avoid t/p the centre as we can do no more at this stage.

ref http://gfhs.org.uk/gloucestershire-bmd-wesite/

Hope this helps clarify the situation.