Namibian Name Database

[Mie1]

Shebeeners,

My friend Milton Louw posted this to me the other day.

I would like to share it with you:


This week I have finished loading 250,000 Namibians information listed by
surname on to the Internet. This includes their name and surname, as well
as their date of birth. See my article below and check if your details are
online. You might be surprised how many of your relatives are on as well
;-).


Economic Databases of Namibia - Powered by CO.CC Go to the White Pages

[Galaxy]

I wonder whether there are any privacy issues involved here? I don't know the laws pertaining to privacy in Namibia, but I can imagine some people might not want their birth dates to be listed in such a public manner. We've all heard how Facebook is used by criminals to steal people's identities, primarily by obtainig what should be private information such as birth dates, etc...

[Neo-RP]

Is Milton Louw for real? What on earth is all that data doing online? What a nightmare! I think in any Europaen country this would be a major scandal.

And Mr Louw even admits to being aware of this with an innocent smiley. On his blog he claims he put all those personal details online to show that what Namibia really needs is serious privacy laws:

My hope is that after looking at the site you will consider the amount of information of yours that is already being stored someplace. I hope this will get your support for a data protection and privacy act being made law as soon as possible.

Remember, I am only one person and have been able to collect all this, what about those businesses who have a lot more data on you?

What a preposterous way to proove your point! And then to go on and, without any restraint, be out to earn money with this breach of privacy, considering the numerous Google ads plastered all over the show.

But then he claims his main concern is the creation of a Central Register:

The idea of creating an economic country database started in 1994 while working with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation in Paris, France. Since then I have collected over 11,000 businesses details and 250,000 people. Once the data is collected and cleaned, there are many areas for possible commercial use. However, it has till thus far only been used for research purposes when conducting surveys of the Small and Medium Enterprises for example.

The main aim is still to create a Central Register for Namibia. [...] During the past ten years, I have managed to create registers for persons, business and external trade. This has assisted greatly in providing income opportunities for me in various areas in Research.

I would however like to make this information available to more people to see what opportunities might arise.

Mie1, what exactly are your friend Milton's motives now? I am a concerned about the integrity of this project. Could you or Mr Louw shed some light on this?

[Galaxy]

To be safe, I strongly suggest that you give him a call and request him to IMMEDIATELY remove your birth date , if you do not wish it to be public knowledge.

If you do not wish to add to the growing file of personal, private information he has about you, don't send him an e-mail because you will also be providing him with further information about yourself: Your e-mail ddress.

Instead, I would suggest you call him up or send him a fax, and ask him to remove it immediately:

Tel: + 264 81 304 3282
Fax: + 27 86 547 1367

What happens with the information once he has removed it is another concern, of course, since it would presumably still exist in the database - just that it is offline. Since he has declared his intention to use it commercially, I am very worried. I will certainly take this up with the relevant authorities - if anybody is acutally charged with/responsible with this sort of matter.

I'll give Mr. Louw the benefit of doubt when he says:

My hope is that after looking at the site you will consider the amount of information of yours that is already being stored someplace. I hope this will get your support for a data protection and privacy act being made law as soon as possible.

Mr. Louw must have obtained a populated database somewhere, and it would be interesting to find out the history of this database. Care to comment, Mr. Louw?

[Mie1]

Neo-RP,

I cannot!


Oh, just BTW: I think Milton has proven his concerns, has he not???

[der-die-das-namibia]

To make things even worse, the data provided is not even correct. My elder brother was made 5 years older than he actually is. He is fuming. Watch out, Mr Louw!

[pangkas]

Shebeeners,

My friend Milton Louw posted this to me the other day.

I would like to share it with you:


This week I have finished loading 250,000 Namibians information listed by
surname on to the Internet. This includes their name and surname, as well
as their date of birth. See my article below and check if your details are
online. You might be surprised how many of your relatives are on as well
;-).


Economic Databases of Namibia - Powered by CO.CC Go to the White Pages

Peter this link Economic Databases of Namibia - Powered by CO.CC does not open.

[Galaxy]

Well, if the motive was to raise awareness about the lack of legislation, then fair enough, he has achieved his goal.

But Mr. Louw has opened a can of worms, which will be difficult to put a lid on. For starters, where did this data originate? The Receiver of Revenue? The Office of the Prime Minister? Financial Institutions? The Ministry of Home Affairs national ID database? Every person listed on this datbase has a right to know where he got this private data from, what the source is. He says he has "collected" the details. How exactly, if most people's birth dates are not readily available on the Internet?

What may have been a noble idea, will turn out to have quite a sting and possibly quite a strong backlash if he does not pull the plug publishing this information to the Internet.

Sooner, rather than later!

He has made a point. Now is the time to demonstrate he does not intend to milk this for publicity and abuse the lack of regulations and laws.

[Andrew1]

this is not good. he says he wants a law but goes and abuses the absence of it. Mr. Louw, this is not acceptable. if you are so concerned, then lobby the government and media, don't go and abuse people. your motives are not clear because if you were soooo concerned you would nto go and put people's private information online. maybe for a week to put the point, but not with ads and not for longer. i agree: pull the plug.

[pangkas]

This is excellent work done by Milton Louw!!!

Congratulations Milton on a job well done!!!

I see your blue print from the start, humble but razor sharp as always ... reminds me when you were in the SRC of the then Academy for Tertiary Education. Brilliant effort , with great results and a shinning example of transparency, professionally and very well in a clear and simple way to grasp, an excellent start for newcomers into business.

There is still some gap's, but I guess for white papers its pretty normal to fill them or rather add more data.

I'll go through your "Providing affordable financing in Namibia" here Economic Databases of Namibia - Powered by CO.CC



Keep it up!

Kind regards