E-mail gaffe reveals HIV, AIDS names (list was "surveillance information")

[truthpusher]

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/news/epaper/2005/02/20/m1a_HIVemail_0220.html

E-mail gaffe reveals HIV, AIDS names
P.B. County Health Department employees received the message.
By Jane Daugherty

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Sunday, February 20, 2005

WEST PALM BEACH — A highly confidential list of the names and addresses of 4,500 Palm Beach County residents with AIDS and 2,000 others who are HIV positive was e-mailed Thursday to more than 800 county health department employees.

(snip)

If made public, release of the information could have devastating effects on the lives of people with AIDS or who are HIV positive, said Tony Plakas, the executive director of COMPASS, a Palm Beach County gay and lesbian advocacy organization. It also would violate federal patient privacy regulations.

"My first reaction is shock and fear," said Plakas, a former HIV specialist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's national AIDS Clearinghouse. "I wish we could say that the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS has faded and disclosing that someone is affected would be the same as any other communicable disease, but that is not the case."

(snip)

She said the list was "surveillance information" that allows the health department to track HIV/AIDS individuals "to protect them and the public."

complete story:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/news/epaper/2005/02/20/m1a_HIVemail_0220.html

[benburch]

1. Right, like I really believe this is accidental.

The Republicans would think this was a good idea.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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[truthpusher]

3. I don't know about that story...

...I posted a link to the onlinejournal story when it came out and felt a little slimy afterward. After talking with a few people it seems like a stretch and also feels a bit homophobic. I'm not questioning Madsen's intentions, I just think he may have been a little overzealous here.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

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[benburch]

5. They are?

Didn't look suppressed to me.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

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[truthpusher]

7. I have noticed that...

...they try to keep it down when there is an irreverent fervor brewing regarding something like the Gannon story. Honestly, I don't mind, it makes me think twice every once in a while. Regarding the Madsen story, I felt a bit manipulated by the way he was linking one group with another. I felt like this was being done loosely in order to bring up stigma that are not necessarily associated with Gannon. Madsen may or may not have been doing this intentionally.

[whistle]

8. I see your point, the pedophilia issue is an emotional hot button...

...as well as being a criminal offense. Male prostitution is criminal as is any prostitution (I guess there is only one other) and then to bring in homosexuality just really clouds the whole thing. My apologies to any gays who are offended by the Madsen article, I am sorry for any misunderstanding that results.

[Spacejet]

10. Oh please

I used to work for a large corporation and I can't tell you how many times people clicked the wrong address book listing and ended up sending an email to the entire building when it should have gone to only one person. It was nearly a weekly occurance.

[proudbluestater]

14. What was the average IQ of the employees where you worked? 15?

I've worked for TWO large corporations. This never happened where I worked. It's not all that simple and quick to select a GROUP from your contact list. It is a deliberate act, has to be seen as such.

[Placebo]

9. How can this be accidental?

I mean really. :grr:

[Spacejet]

11. It's pretty simple

where I used to work IT put an email address book on ALL computers complete with every employee name as well as group listings i.e. "Division 1" "AustBuild" "Maint" etc. You end up clicking on one of these accidentally and you end up sending an email to possibly 100+ people.

[Bluebear]

12. NO such "list" should have ever been compiled

>>She said the list was "surveillance information" that allows the health department to track HIV/AIDS individuals "to protect them and the public."<<

And how was this list 'protecting' the patient? Or the public?

[proudbluestater]

13. Attaching a file to an email is NEVER "inadvertent," only deliberate

[siliconefreak]

15. The problem is...

This is at least the second time that this has happened in Florida.

Should any of us who pay attention to politics be surprised? :eyes: