County Officials Consider Request That Caudill 'Take Down' Website Containing Protected ID Numbers

Some Oklahoma County officials are considering asking County Clerk Carolynn Caudill to "take down" her website until the redaction of an estimated 870,000 Social Security numbers is completed. And there's new concern being expressed today about other private numbers that appear in documents on her site.

An official said he's surprised Caudill hasn't taken the site down already, although another said shutting the site down would "create chaos" among those who rely on it for document research.

And it's not just the availability of the Social Security numbers that now draws concern; the clerk's website contains millions of documents, some of which contain federally-protected taxpayer ID numbers, employer ID numbers and tax ID numbers.

Availability of the numbers on Caudill's website was revealed earlier this week by The McCarville Report Online.

Caudill has since defended her inaction in redacting the private identifiying numbers, saying the responsbility to do so is that of any agency that files legal documents with her office. But two years ago, while bragging about the posting of the documents online, Caudill indicated the Social Security numbers would be redacted. She made a similar statement a year ago. Only on Wednesday did her request to retain HTC Global, Inc. to redact the numbers reach county commissioners, who approved the $29,900 contract.

Redacting the numbers is to begin immediately, but with so many documents to be processed, there's fear the county is open to lawsuits over possible identity theft or violation of the Federal Privacy Act of 1974 as amended in 1976. That Act prohibits the disclosure of all federal identification numbers.

County commissioners meet next Wednesday. Caudill's website could come up during a public comments section, or in a section reserved for comments by commissioners.

Share |