It will happen to you. Your daughter Anouk is missing, far away in Cuba. As parents you are of course desperate. You want information about your daughter. Among other things, from your daughter's travel agency. TUI in this case. But what does TUI say: we cannot share anything because of privacy.
I was alerted to it via Twitter because a fellow lawyer had posted Anouk's father's appeal on Facebook on Twitter. She wondered whether here the basis "vital interest" did not provide solace for TUI and Anouk's father. And then my lump broke. Are you kidding me?
Distressing
I already found an item on the NOS about a church where a minister no longer dared to mention the names of the sick in his prayer distressing. But the attitude of TUI in this matter is, as far as I am concerned, by far the most harsh example of the total flip-flopping in terms of privacy.
So I also climbed into a tweet, stating in it that I think TUI is going a bit overboard and asking TUI in particular on what privacy ground they believe they cannot help Anouk's father.
And ahead: I'm cc'ing the Twitter account of the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens. Not so much from a "hashtag fail" mindset (I'm not much into that, frankly), but rather from the idea of getting these privacy abuses out of the world as quickly as possible.
Court order
It must be said, TUI was on top of it. They responded within minutes. But again with a dead giveaway: 'we do not share travelers' data, only at the request of the police; not even if one claims to be a family member'. That last addition [namely: "also not if one says (...)"] must have hurt Anouk's father, by the way (if he got it). But that aside. This response from TUI immediately made me think of ISPs who only take down obviously illegal content if you come with a court order. (Also such nonsense.)
My answer to TUI: "I'm sorry, but this is really nonsense". With the addition that I gladly assist the father of Anouk on this point for free. The answer of TUI: "we concentrate on assisting the parents". What I then thought, I will keep to myself for now.
Who advises TUI?
In my opinion, it certainly does TUI no credit to bypass the content and remain stuck in generalities. Especially when it just doesn't make sense. And I don't understand TUI either. What I wonder then: who within TUI thinks this up, or recommends this to TUI? Again, not to pee on TUI, but in the hope that person will learn from this. (After all, a mistake is only a mistake if you don't learn from it.)
The Twitter account of the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens has been proactive lately in responding to current events and abuses. Once again, I express my hope and expectation that the regulator will do the same here.
And the good news, of course, is that Anouk has since been reunited with her parents.
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