An Irish Independent investigation has found that, since 2008, 51 laptops, 21 BlackBerrys, one desktop computer and two memory sticks have been lost by 19 government departments. One stolen laptop contained unencrypted personal data on 163 students, prompting the Department of Education to notify those affected, states the report. One data protection expert worries that if government-held private information gets into the public domain, the government may face lawsuits. Another expert says the Data Protection Act--revised in 2003--is not up to pace with technology such as mobile devices.
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