Personal information not always private

A elderly man shows his minimum living standards allowance certificate.[Photo/IC]

Asked about the lists of local families that receive the minimum living standard allowances, some local civil affair departments in South China's Guangdong province reportedly said that such lists could not be disclosed because they contain the private information of residents. Comments:

In reality, the main reason why some civil affairs authorities are reluctant to disclose information about those receiving the allowances is the lack of motivation and a mechanism that clearly defines their due responsibilities. Stricter institutional supervision and management should make disclosure of the beneficiaries a routine practice.

People's Daily, July 30

Although claiming to protect the privacy of society's underdogs, some Guangdong officials were just trying to conceal their connections with power-oriented corruption and refusing to fulfill their duties. Only by disclosing a list of those who receive an allowance for public supervision can those power abusers who give out allowances to unqualified recipients be held accountable and more families in need benefit from the policy.

people.com.cn, July 29

Timely information disclosure is more than necessary, because it not only guarantees that the minimum living standard allowances are put in the right hands, but also respects the public's right to supervise. Only limited information will be disclosed, which is unlikely to cause any trouble to those on the list.

cjn.cn, July 30

Admittedly, for most of society's underdogs, receiving assistance is not something worth bragging about. Thus, local authorities cannot be too careful when it comes to making public the names and other information of the beneficiaries, who should be prepared for some of their personal information to be disclosed. Like the civil servants who are offered wider access to public resources, those benefiting from the allowances are obliged to relinquish some of their privacy.

Chengdu Economic Daily, July 30