Our investigation revealed that taxpayers’ sensitive biometric data is being taken by the HMRC, without a choice to opt in or out, in a mass ID scheme. Experts say that this may breach UK data protection laws.
Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch, said:
“HMRC should delete the 5 million voiceprints they’ve taken in this shady scheme, observe the law and show greater respect to the public.”
Mail on Sunday – Privacy campaigners’ fury as taxman secretly records five million callers to tax hotlines in controversial ID scheme
This has also been reported by:
BBC News – Voices of millions of UK taxpayers stored by HMRC
I News – HMRC has collected more than 5.1m recordings of taxpayers’ voices without consent
New Statesman – GDPR: HMRC’s database of 5.1m voice records raises “significant questions of lawfulness”
The Register – UK taxman has amassed voice profiles of 5.1 MEEELLION taxpayers
The Sun – BAD CALL Tax officials have secretly been recording the voices of millions of Brits during calls
City AM – HMRC accused of breaching data protection laws for taking ‘voice IDs’ of 5m taxpayers