by jwfacts 34 Replies latest watchtower scandals
State laws are a whole different ball game, but in all my years of studying this issue, I've never come across one that restricts the actions of clergy.
That's why JWFacts' approach is the best one; he's going after information held by the Watchtower CORPORATION, not the religion. One that has a reasonable chance of success, if the govt. agencies don't let the religious mumbo-jumbo scare them off.
i thought they just kept a record of ur field service and a card that states what ur current status is. They don't actually keep notes on people do they? anyways is any of this covered under the privacy act or the freedom of information act (USA)?
There are a whole raft of forms that they keep on you on top of your field activity. This includeds forms for judicial committees that you have had, and also forms if you are a pedophile. When you move congregations there is even a form that gets sent to advise the new elders on what you are like.
When they wanted to make me a MS one of the elders objected because I had just broken up with his daughter, so I am wondering if that is still on a form somewhere.
I dont know what the laws are like in the US, but it seems that the Australian ones are stricter on giving access to personal records kept on a person.
As soon as you win, I'm applying too. Thanks unc for doing the legwork! Now if only I'd gotten off my lazy public service butt and worked that out for myself!
Hi, I'm from the Uk and am interested in getting any personal files that the Society have on me.
Does anyone know which Act or law i can use to get them from them? How about the Freedom of Information or the Data Protection Act?
Your help would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Hamilton_russell
Most religions do NOT have to produce records or files unless in a CRIMINAL case. However, there are other ways to get them! Tthe easiest: Work from the inside and have a "friend" pull the records for you! It works ONLY if you have the inside connections.
Reply to Hamilton: AFAIK, the UK Freedom of Info Act applies only to government departments, local authorities, police, etc. BUT the Data Protection Act applies to any organisation, company, etc., that keeps 'searchable' personal data (whether in computer or written form) on individuals. Never been a JW but from what I've read the records they keep would certainly fall into this category.
Any organisation, company, authority, etc., that wants to keep such info must register with the office of the Data Protection Registrar and specify such things as what data they want to keep, what use they will make of it, who they will share it with, how long they will retain it, etc. There are also rules about not using it for unspecified purposes and so one. The purpose behind this is so that anyone considering giving personal data can check to see how their data will be used, etc., and the Register is open to the public.
I don't know (but I'm sure others on this board do) what the legal position of JW groups is. If each congregation is a separate legal 'entity' (and I assume if, for example, they hold the deeds to their premises then they must be) each congregation would have to register separately. More likely, there would be an 'umbrella' registration on behalf of WTBTS (UK) or whatever the overall UK organisation is.
Under the legislation it is an offence to fail to register, to use data other than in accordance with the registration, and any individual has the right to ask the company/organisation what data is held about them and how it has been used. Failure to comply with a request is an offence.
AFAIK, JW organisations would not be exempt from this legislation.
You have sparked an interest, and I will research further.
Hamilton, the site you need for UK information is: http://www.ico.gov.uk/eventual.aspx
It's now called the 'Information Commissioner's Office'.
I did a quick search for the JW's registration under 'Watchtower' and 'Jehovah' - the only result was 'Watchtower Investments Ltd' which I would guess is the UK overall financial arm of the JWs. (It would be possible to do an online search of Companies House records for them, it might cost a couple of pounds, but would give you names of directors, accounts and all sorts of useful stuff).
As far as I can see, there is no exemption for religions. In fact in the 'myths and facts' bit of the site it raises the question of a priest giving out personal data by praying during a service for someone who is sick. The answer given is NOT that clergy are exempt but that the personal data about the individual is not likely to be held in searchable personal records.
Hope this helps, and I hope somebody might pick up this ball and run with it!
facts, good'on'ya.
keep the pressure on.............
i thought they just kept a record of ur field service and a card that states what ur current status is. They don't actually keep notes on people do they?
I thought the same once, but I think now that there is a bit more to it, because if you move congregation they send a letter, which tells the new elders all the stuff they need to know about you - which is probably a lot more than just your field service record.
I bet its like doctors notes - they are only supposed to put certain stuff, but then people found out that doctors had written things like 'HW (hysterical woman)' and 'hypochondriac' on there too.
I can only imagine that they are scared that if one person with 'safe' records wins then everyone else will be able to get legal access to their notes, and that might open up a whole new can of worms for them.
Good job for being so persistent though, I REALLY hope you win.
