96
IPCO Annual Report 2017
14.26
The 926 errors can be conveniently broken down in two ways: by responsible party
and cause:
Fig. 17 Breakdown of communications data errors
SPoC
6.5
34.5
0.5
3.4
41
3.9
Applicant
Incorrect communicaons address
Incorrect date/me period
%
11.8
5.3
43.3
4.7
1.8
Incorrect date/me period
Incorrect type of data
Incorrect communicaons address
Other
24.8
CSP
Incorrect communicaons address
Incorrect date/me period
Incorrect data
DP
9
9.2
Did not approve acquision
Incorrect rank
0.3
14.27
As in 2016, the biggest single cause of error remains the submission of an incorrect
communications address by the applicant. SPoCs are responsible for 43.6% of errors, largely
because of the complexity of their role and errors in typing, given the large quantities of
information that are still entered manually. These errors can occur because the applicant has
to enter a communications address into an application from a crime or intelligence report,
or the SPoC has to take the address from an application, transferring it into a separate CSP
disclosure system. The error can be as simple as getting one digit of a telephone number
or IP address wrong, which will result in erroneous data being returned.
14.28
The vast majority of the reportable errors considered by IOCCO and IPCO by public
authorities and CSPs were ‘self-reported’ and it is to be noted that there remains a very
strong culture of self‑reporting by SPoCs and CSPs. However, if information is shared
between departments or units within an authority, there is a risk that those with less
experience and training will be unaware of the risks that are involved and the steps that
must be taken if there is an error. A notable example of this is when mistakes are made
with communications data. If the identifying information is not entered exactly, wholly
innocent people can be suspected of crimes they did not commit (such as sharing indecent
images of children), with dire consequences.
Serious error investigations
14.29
As explained in previous 2016 IOCCO annual report IPCO may classify an error as serious
in circumstances which include:
• Technical errors relating to the CSP secure-disclosure systems which result in a significant
number of erroneous disclosures;