Data on people unsuitable to work and personal information

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.23.031284

I note you seek access to the following information:

1. I would like to know if you track my Internet activity.
2. I would also like to know, do you hold a list of people who you consider to be not suitable for working for a local authority, education, authority or any other authority that may require a DBS or any other back ground check on a particular person and once that has been completed
3. Do you check the Internet activity of any individual and prevent them from being chosen for work.
4. Do you hold any lists as such would you consider me to be high risk in that kind of environment?
5. Do you have a filtering system or a list of people who use the Internet that you consider to be high risk?
6. Am I on the list and can you tell me if I am on any list that you have of any of my Internet activity can you please inform me and do you have the ability to prevent people from getting work for example working at schools where children are, for example that is what I wanna know.

Decision

The Metropolitan Police Service neither confirms nor denies that it holds the information you have requested for questions 1, 4 and 6 as the duty in Section 1(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

I have today decided to disclose some of the requested information. Some data has been withheld as it is exempt from disclosure and therefore this response serves as a Refusal Notice under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) by virtue of the following exemptions:

Section 40(5A)(5B) – Personal Information

Reason for decision

Section 40(5B)(a)(i) Personal Information - Section 40 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 is designed to address information that is covered by the Data Protection Act 2018.

Under section 40(5B)(a)(i) The MPS is not required to comply with the requirements of section 1(1) (a) i.e. the duty to inform the applicant whether or not the information is held. In most cases Personal Data is exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act as I will explain below.

To confirm or deny whether personal information exists could publicly reveal information about an identifiable individual or individuals, thereby breaching the right to privacy afforded to persons under the Data Protection Act (DPA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018.

Where an individual is requesting his or her own personal data the information is always exempt. Such information can be requested under other legislation.
Where an individual is requesting third party personal data The MPS must ensure that any action taken adheres to the principles of the Data Protection Act 2018 and the GDPR. To clarify, the Freedom of Information Act only allows disclosure of personal data if that disclosure would be compliant with the principles for processing personal data. These principles are outlined under section 34 of the DPA 2018 and under Article 5 of the GDPR.

Disclosure

What information do you want?
Q1 - I would like to know if you track my Internet search history.

This information is exempt under Section 40(5) please see above

Q2 - I would also like to know, do you hold a list of people who you consider to be not suitable for working for a local authority, education, authority or any other authority that may require a DBS or any other back ground check on a particular person and once that has been completed.

A barred list in relation to both children and vulnerable adults is managed by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), the MPS do not have a role in this.

Please see the link below and at the bottom of the page is where you can send an FOI request for this department:
Disclosure and Barring Service - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Q3 - Do you check the Internet activity of any individual and prevent them from being chosen for work.

Not on an Enhanced DBS check.

Q4 - Do you hold any lists as such would you consider me to be high risk in that kind of environment?

This information is exempt under Section 40(5) please see above

Q5 - Do you have a filtering system or a list of people who use the Internet that you consider to be high risk?

Our reference and Vetting department do not hold such a list for DBS purposes.

Q6 - Am I on the list and can you tell me if I am on any list that you have of any of my Internet activity can you please inform me and do you have the ability to prevent people from getting work for example working at schools where children are, for example that is what I wanna know.

This information is exempt under Section 40(5) please see above