Seattle’s new, overbudget computer system let utility customers see others’ bills
Seattle’s new billing system for utilities, already afflicted by delays and cost overruns, launched Monday morning with a data flaw that sent 3,041 customers a link to other customers’ bills, including their names, addresses and energy or water use.
Along with the privacy breakdown, the city sent six to 12 redundant email notices to those same customers, marking new trouble for a computer update, nearly a year late, $34 million over budget, and expected to reach $100 million.
The problems showed up in about one-tenth of the initial batch of 30,000 utility bills compiled during the changeover Sunday night and sent Monday morning, City Light spokesman Scott Thomsen said Monday night.
It’s likely that far fewer than 3,000 people inadvertently saw other people’s bills, because the city disabled the online billing link at 10:30 a.m., after a customer called to report the mistake, he said.
Read more: http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/city-light-computer-glitch-lets-customers-see-other-users-bills/
= new reply since forum marked as read
education should have been a better investment?
I hope someone clues in soon.
When the hairy PC tech comes in and starts flinging poo at the PC screen, it'll be too late.
