Familie Law House Criticized for Data Handling Failures
The Family Law House (Familieretshuset) in Denmark is facing serious criticism from the Danish Data Protection Agency (Datatilsynet) regarding its handling of personal data. Most recently, it has been revealed that there have been multiple instances of unauthorized disclosure of protected names and addresses, including sensitive information related to stays at crisis centers. This issue has been highlighted by Datatilsynet in a press release.
From January 6, 2023, to June 30, 2023, the Family Law House reported 28 breaches of personal data security. These breaches have resulted in protected information being disclosed to the opposing party in ongoing cases, which often is the reason protective measures were put in place initially.
The errors are attributed to human mistakes and inattentiveness among the staff. This negligence in data security is not a new critique of the Family Law House; similar incidents were criticized in 2021 and 2022. In fact, the Family Law House received an order in 2022 to reduce the risk of such incidents occurring.
The Family Law House, which took over responsibilities from the former State Administration (Statsforvaltningen), plays a central role in handling family-related cases, including custody and visitation arrangements. This underscores the necessity for strict and reliable management of sensitive information, reflecting the critical responsibilities entrusted to this agency.