FiL wants all our data

[HighlandCowSaysBooNotMoo]

My father in law works in a government role.
Today he put a message in the family WhatsApp group asking if we could send him our addresses, d.o.bs, mothers maiden names, our place of birth, our address history, previous maiden names etc.
Apparently he needs this info from his 4 adult children, their spouses (me included) , his own siblings and his siblings spouses, grandchildren, his in laws etc. Basically he is covering every member of the family and spouses etc over the age of 18.
He has put something light hearted about it being needed for an enhanced security check that he's been told he needs for his job.
He is not changing jobs or position in the company. He has been in this job for since my husband was a wee kid!!
A couple of people have responded straight away with their data.
DH says IABU not to share mine with his dad
What do I do?

You are coming across as a bit thick. Where did you deduct that he is a tory from..??

We both had to give details of ex partners (obviously warned them). Could have been turned down for the role if a relative had bad debts, credit checks, criminal record etc

All perfectly normal for an enhanced security check or for DV clearance. I’ve had to supply info for family members when I’ve been vetted. It’s a pain but it has to be done for lots of roles. They have to ensure he’s not susceptible to being bribed or blackmailed. Just give him the info.

I thought whatatsapp was secure- end to end encrypted ( whatevet that means)

It’s pretty standard and to ensure wider members of the family aren’t involved in anything dodgy… e.g. his children might be squeaky clean but if they are all married into crime families (sopranos etc) then that would ring alarm bells that maybe this particular employee shouldn’t work on this case/in this job etc

also it’s always a double check, they ask the person and then might double check with the individuals too

This sounds like developed vetting for someone working with or for the security services.

It’s very normal for civil servants namely government workers to have to renew clearance which involves completing forms which include all family members and even acquaintances if they have more extreme views or connections. No need to judge your FIL or husband for asking. Maybe ask the reason, not hard to do.

i was asked by my bil for this info he works for the government and no their emplyer doesnt contact you first

If you do it without your Mum’s permission technically yes. Or in this case if you know your Mum doesn’t want it shared. Will anything come of it? Probably not unless your Mum complains. Even then maybe not. If you did it in a work context more likely.

Yes, technically you would be.
People's private information, including date of birth and address is entirely that... private.
GDPR regulations exist for a reason.
Although most of it is used within the frame work of employment, educational or medical. But it could be personal if the other person finds out and objects.

Do they have "top secret" jobs at the Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries?! I'm surprised. I wouldn't have thought that government department would....
I always presumed it was all about movement of cows and which rivers are low on trout. 😂

And ooooh, what was the interesting market research phone call? Can you tell is more about that?

@riceuten
No it sounds like enhanced security clearance for which a number of jobs have it especially in the civil service

I suggest asking for the official source to contact you directly providing reasons. Then if you reply directly it saves typos in transposing.

I can't believe this thread is still going 🤦🏻‍♀️

Isn’t he going to know all this information anyway?

Literally nothing he can't find out on ancestry.com

Name, date of birth address and relationship, big drama over nowt

Surely everyone who provides their details won’t have skeletons in the cupboard or they wouldn’t provide them. Anyone dodgy who’d stop you getting the job, you could just miss off the list! Although I guess there a big consequences for that?

Fishing quotas are highly political - seriously!

Don’t be so rediculous

What if I put a “happy 60th birthday Judy” banner on her house without asking?

This thread is absolutely nuts

My husband has to do this. On one of his projects it was top secret and basically they have to check that he is safe to have the information. This includes background checking immediate family members. If there are members of your family that have committed fraud or have been guilty of espionage or violent crimes obviously it would be a national security risk to let him have the information just incase it got into the wrong hands of they decided to sell it etc. Things are extremely risky at the moment.

YABU if you don’t give him the info. It’s for something far more important and far deeper than just face value I would imagine. Let’s not make it more stressful for him!

Generally dodgy relatives don’t prevent someone getting the job - they just have to be declared.

Deliberately lying (which an omission is since the person completing the form signs to say it is accurate) would be a big deal. It would be instant dismissal at the very least.

Respond and ask why? Ask him why he needs this very personal information now and never before? Just simply tell him you’re not keen - sorry

But does he not know his
kids and grandchildren’s names and dates of birth?? Seems a strange (and lazy) thing to ask for… he’d know his daughters maidens names, and obviously their married names too… surely he’d have all his in-laws birthdays written down somewhere? All
hed need to ask you is heat of birth and maiden name and this should be done
in a private message to individuals. He could even ask his kids for their partners details, I would respond privately to him and say ‘my maiden name was xxx and my year of birth xxxx….

By asking for all the information in the group chat he is being upfront and transparent about what he is asking for and who he is asking. No one needs to respond in the "public" chat.

It is nonsense that the ‘company’ would ask. You fill out the forms - it is on you to provide as much information as you possibly can. You don’t give the name and mobile numbers of 10 family numbers and expect the ‘company’ to contact them themselves.

for some levels of vetting the i visuals will be contacted for a more detailed interview once the intiital checks have taken place.

mThere is no ‘two grade’ rule that I have ever come across therefore if that is your personal experience it is specific to the department, company or section you worked in and cannot be quoted as a universal rule.

you really don’t seem to have the first clue what you are talking about and seem to be basing all this advice on giving your ifnromation once to your son in law