10. Jeremy Clarkson gets IT very wrong

Posted on 17 Jun 2008 at 10:28

Gaffe rating: 94

"In a list of the five most rubbish things in the world, I'd have America's foreign policy at five; Aids at four; Iran's nuclear programme at three; Gordon Brown at two; and Maserati's gearbox at number one". So wrote Jeremy Clarkson. Well we've got a new entry for you, Jeremy - your technical nous.

In January this year, Clarkson decided to vent his spleen about the HMRC child benefit data disc fiasco. Writing in The Sun he insisted he had "never known such a palaver about nothing" and when it comes to identity theft and the potential for fraud said that "the fact is we happily hand over cheques [with bank account details splashed across them] to all sorts of unsavoury people all day long without a moment's thought. We have nothing to fear." To prove his point, Clarkson published his own bank details in the newspaper column: home address, account number and sort code.

A few weeks and several servings of humble pie later, Clarkson used his Sunday Times column to admit he'd been wrong, after opening his bank statement and discovering someone had used his details to set up a £500 direct debit to a diabetes charity. He also changed his mind about the HMRC loss, adding, "Contrary to what I said at the time, we must go after the idiots who lost the discs and stick cocktail sticks in their eyes until they beg for mercy."

A sure reminder that the "come and have a go if you think you're hard enough" approach to data privacy is as wise as filling your Ferrari with diesel.

Next: 9. Too much information, commissioner

The 10 worst security gaffes

Author: Davey Winder