Did you know that almost two-thirds of the 360 electronic privacy incidents reported to Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner
(OVIC) in the first half of this year were caused by email errors?
These included:
- Misdirected emails and failure to redact personal information.
- Sending incorrect documents to clients.
- Emails sent to the wrong recipients.
- Staff forwarding public sector information to personal emails
Before sending your email
- Double-Check Before You Send
Always confirm:
- The recipient’s email address
- The correct attachment
- That no personal info is shared unnecessarily - Use BCC for Group Emails
Protect others’ privacy by using BCC when emailing multiple recipients who don’t know each other. Exposing email addresses without consent can violate privacy laws and damage relationships.
This is especially important for:
- Newsletters
- Event invitations
- External stakeholder updates - Don’t Send Work to Personal Emails
Avoid forwarding documents to personal accounts unless authorised. Keep sensitive info within secure systems. - Redact Before You Attach
Remove personal or sensitive information before sending documents externally. - Watch for Auto-Fill Mistakes
Always verify the recipient before clicking “Send.” - Report Mistakes Early
If you send something by mistake, report it immediately to your people leader or Council’s Privacy Officer. Quick action can prevent bigger issues.