'U.S. Embassy in Bogota Releases 989 Email Addresses'

Privacy from Bogota -

http://bogota.usembassy.gov

I count 989 email addresses listed on the To: line of the the message in question. Need more be said?

My email address was apparently disclosed to the other 988 people because I had registered with the Embassy.

"n accordance with the Privacy Act, information on your welfare or whereabouts may not be released to inquirers without your expressed written authorizations." I wonder if the Privacy Act allows them to disclose my email address?

The U.S. Department of State's Travel Registration site is not currently operational, so I can't see what other assurances of privacy they gave me when I registered and gave them my email address!

From: "BOGOTA, ACS"

To: "BOGOTA, ACS"

Subject: Message from U.S. Embassy

Date: Thu 03/29/07 07:22 AM

Dear American Citizen:

Yesterday, the U.S. Embassy’s American Citizen Services office sent an email message to U.S. citizens in Colombia, announcing the creation of the Consular Section's new website.

Inadvertently, the message was sent in a way that revealed each recipient's email address to the other recipients.

We recognize that this was inappropriate, and we greatly regret the error. Unfortunately, it is not possible to recall the message, and so the most we can do is ask for your forgiveness and assure you that your email address will not be disclosed in future messages.

Please also accept my personal apology for the error.

Sincerely,

Ronald Packowitz

Consul

American Citizen Services

U.S. Embassy

Bogotá, Colombia

ACSBogota@state.gov

• U.S. Embassy Bogota

Comment #1 Privacy from Bogota -

Registration and Privacy

The Department of State is committed to ensuring that any personal information received by our overseas embassies and consulates pursuant to the registration process, whether in person or otherwise, is safeguarded against unauthorized disclosure. The data that you provide the Department of State is subject to the provisions of the Privacy Act (5 USC 552a). This means that the Department of State WILL NOT DISCLOSE the information you provide us in your registration application to any third parties unless you have first given us written authorization to do so, or unless the disclosure is otherwise permitted by the Privacy Act.

Authority: 22 U.S.C 2715, and 22 U.S.C 4802 (b).

Purpose: To notify U.S. citizens in the event of a disaster, emergency or other crisis, and for evacuation coordination.

The information solicited on this form may be made available as a routine use to appropriate agencies whether federal, state, local, or foreign, to assist the Department in the evacuation or provision of emergency service to U.S. citizens, or for law enforcement and administration purposes or pursuant to court order. The information is also made available to private U.S. citizens, known as wardens, designated by U.S. embassies to assist in communicating with the American community in an emergency. For a complete statement of the routine uses to which this information may be put, see the Prefatory Statement of Routine Uses and the listing of routine uses set forth in the systems description for Overseas Citizens Services Records (State-05), found at

foia.state.gov/issuances/priviss.asp. Lastly, while this internet site uses secure encryption to safeguard your privacy and therefore any unauthorized interception by third parties of the information you send via the internet is unlikely, please keep in mind that the Department of State is not responsible for any such interception.

"WILL NOT DISCLOSE"... my emphasis which it a bit differnet than the Embassy's action.

Comment #2 Ricky (190.70.27.71) -

Yea I was really angry at that as well. You would think something like that would make the press. Interesting how they send emails to keep you from harm here, to places I wouldn't even care to go to, but all those emails being released made me feel unsafe. And I feel 100% safe in this country.

Comment #3 Privacy from Bogota -

Neither the Embassy or the Inspector General's office made any reply to my complaint. They collected that information and promised to keep it safe under the Privacy Act.

I also thing sending out email announcements to a lot of people by putting all the addresses on the CC line went out of style in about 1997.

I am glad someone else is also unhappy about it.

Comment #4 ANA JUDITH ROA RODRIGUEZ (190.12.156.125) -

La fecha de nacimiento de mi cédula actual no coincide con la del pasaporte y voy viajar a mediados de febrero, se me presenta algun problema?

Cédula: ANA JUDITH ROA RODRIGUEZ cc # 41.417.616 de Bogotá, fecha de nacimiento 25 de Agosto de 1946

Pasaporte: ANA JUDITH ROA RODRIGUEZ cc # 41.417.616 de Bogotá, fecha de nacimiento 17 de agosto de 1948.

Varia únicamente en el dia y en el año.

Que hago al respecto?

Muchas gracias

Comment #5 Jaime Duarte (205.188.116.137) - Mon Jun 23 10:22:41 2008

To whom it may concern.

I searching for Jaime Giron Duarte. Please find his work address.

I'm his Cousin.

Thank You,

Jaime Duarte

Success6619@aol.com

Comment #6 maria mercedes (200.110.170.219) - Wed Jul 9 17:47:54 2008

A MI HIJA JESSICA SAA, SE LE VENCE EL PASAPORTE EL 9 DE JUNIO DEL 2009. MI PREGUNTA ES ¿SE PUEDE RENOVAR EN ESTE AÑO ANTES DE QUE SE VENZA?

Y SI ES POSIBLE QUE REQUISITOS NECESITO PARA RENOVARLE EL PASAPORTE, LA NIÑA TIENE EN LA ACTUALIDAD 5 AÑOS DE EDAD.

Comment #7 MARIA DOLLY LOPEZ (68.114.34.16) - Thu Aug 7 11:05:46 2008

GRACIAS POR SU TIEMPO....LLEBO 3 ANOS CASADA CON UN AMERICANO EL CUAL QUIZO RECONOCER A MI HIJA PENSANDO QUE LAS COSAS SERIAN MEJOR...EN LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS LE DICEN A EL QUE TODO ESTA APROBADO AQUI EN COLOMBIA, NOS PUSIERON PROBLEMA, LE QUITAMOS EL APELLIDO DE EL....SI TODO ESTA YA COMO ELLOS QUIEREN POR QUE NO NOS DAN LA VISA DE RESIDENCIA? QUE DEBEMOS HACER ENTONCES? MUCHAS GRACIAS

MARIA DOLLY LOPEZ.

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