Four "Big Brother" awards were presented to the individuals, organizations, and departments which have done most to invade personal privacy. A "lifetime menace" award was also be given.

"Winston" awards were also be given to individuals and organisations which have made an outstanding contribution to the protection of privacy, as well as to people who have been victims of privacy invasion.

Channel 4's Mark Thomas presented the awards.

2002 Winners and Runners Up

WORST PUBLIC SERVANT

Sir Richard Wilson, Cabinet Secretary
For his long standing commitment to opposing freedom of information, data protection and ministerial accountability

Runners Up

David Blunkett MP, Home Secretary
For his astonishing and multi-skilled disregard for privacy and for his patronage of the proposed national ID card


Michael Cashman MEP
For his unrelenting opposition in the European Parliament to controls over email spam see report at  http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4251962,00.html

MOST INVASIVE COMPANY

Norwich Union
For using unapproved genetic tests for potentially fatal diseases when assessing whether to offer life cover. See  http://www.gefoodalert.org/News/news.cfm?News_ID=2676

Runners Up

The Countryside Alliance (CA)
for registering themselves with the Information Commissioner as holding data on (among many other categories) sexual, political, religious, health, intelligence and lifestyle information on a vast range of individuals. The CA registration on the Information Commissioners site is 27 pages in length, and contains almost every conceivable category of personal data. See registration

The Internet Watch Foundation
For actions which judges regarded as unnecessary, disproportionate and hostile to the rights of Internet users. See  http://www.cyber-rights.org/watchmen-ii.htm and
 http://www.liberty.org.uk/cacib/iwfresignation.htm


MOST APPALLING PROJECT


The National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS)
For its 2001 proposal to archive and warehouse all email, internet and telephone call traffic records for the entire population. See  http://www.statewatch.org/news/2001/nov/17ukdata.htm

Runners Up

The Electoral Reform Society
For its patronage of a report by the Independent Commission on alternative voting methods. The report provides a woefully scant assessment of the substantial privacy and security threats arising from electronic voting. See www.electoral-reform.org.uk


MOST HEINOUS GOVERNMENT ORGANISATION

The Department of Education and Skills
For removing anonymity in the 2002 national schools census and for creating a student tracking system. See  http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/education/newsid_1732000/1732488.stm

Runners Up

The Home Office (see above)
The Internet Watch Foundation (see above)


LIFETIME MENACE AWARD

The national Identification and data sharing scheme
Proposals for a comprehensive data sharing scheme between government agencies and the private sector have in recent years become a fixed component of government thinking. These proposals, whether they are marketed as a national ID card or an entitlement card, constitute the greatest ongoing threat to privacy. This nomination goes to the concept.

Runners Up

Sir Richard Wilson (see above)


WINSTON AWARDS (the goodguys)

Maurice Frankel, Campaign for Freedom of Information

Lord Andrew Phillips

The Daily Telegraph

David Shaylor

Ilka Schroeder, MEP

FOR CONTROVERSY ABOUT THE TELEGRAPH AND SHAYLOR GETTING AWARDS AND BEING PIED AS WELL SEE:

David Shayler pied at award ceremony
 http://uk.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=24228&group=webcast

Telegraph Editor pied at awards ceremony
 http://uk.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=24287&group=webcast

FOR PREVIOUS BIG BROTHER AWARDS SEE:
 http://www.privacyinternational.org/bigbrother