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State blames 'human error' for release of personal information in marijuana case
BY MATT MARKOVICH
FRIDAY, JUNE 10TH 2016
KOMO


SEATTLE -- Human error is being blamed for the inadvertent release of personal information in a public disclose request made by a marijuana advocate, who then posted the information online.

In May, John Novack, chief editor of 420leaks.com, filed a public disclosure request with the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board for all communications involving "collective gardens" by the agency. It's a big request, but Novack has made many of these PDRs before.

When he received the first installment, he did what he's known for doing -- he put the documents on his website. It's similar to WikiLeaks, the website known for publishing state secrets.

"We are similar but we are not hackers," said Novack. "We politely ask the government for the files and they give them to us."

But this time he put several hundred documents online before reviewing them. He then got word that some of the documents contained active links that displayed personal information about people who had dealings with the agency responsible for regulating the new cannabis industry.

"I thought, holy smokes, I'm going to have to run to Russia and bunk up with Ed Snowden," said Novack.

The documents viewed by KOMO News showed criminal history, Social Security numbers, copies of driver's licenses, bank information, employment history, even marriage and residential history.

The state realized their mistake and notified Novack, but the information had already been exposed online.

"The personal information that's up there, I feel horrible about it," Novack said. "As soon as I found, I took it off."

He says the agency sent him a revised installment that was supposed to have the personal information removed or redacted. But he says he still found active links to the same documents, without redaction.

"It's a big failure," he said. "It makes you wonder if the state can protect personal information and medical information."

Novack is active in the medical marijuana community and objects to a new state law that will make medical marijuana patients registered with the Department of Health beginning July 1st.

The WSLCB admits it made a mistake.

"It was human error," said Brian Smith, Communication Director for the WSLCB. "It's unfortunate, we are going to own this thing and going forward we want to make sure this is not going to happen again."

Smith says an employee -- who is no longer with the agency -- did not follow protocols. He says 42 people have been notified that the personal information may have been compromised. He says online 3 in that group had their social security numbers exposed.

Novack admits he's filed many PDRs with the agency in an attempt to "expose secrecy in government." Smith says his latest request is for 30,000 communications.

"It's so big that our staff that can typically produce something in a matter of days, this is going to take 5 years to fulfill," said Smith.

The agency is working a third party company it's contracted to host documents to remove active links found in the documents Novack obtained.