Removing staff contact details from public-facing webpages

Background 

The University of Edinburgh aims to be open and transparent in all its proceedings and procedures. Part of this transparency is having the names and contact details of employees accessible through the University website through the telephone and email register, and through the staff profiles and lists in the individual business units.  

Note: this procedure only applies to contact details on the public-facing internet, not to any internal sites behind EASE.  

Who do I need to contact? 

If you have a personal reason why your contact details should not be shown on a public-facing website, the request needs to be co-ordinated either through your line manager or, if you do not feel comfortable discussing the request with your line manager, with the local HR contact to ensure that your privacy can be protected. Do not make this request through the IS Helpline.   

Your line manager or the HR contact will make the initial assessment as to whether the data can be removed from websites by balancing the reason behind your request with the interests of the University. Guidance on this can be sought from the local data protection champion or the DPO, however, your line manager or the HR contact will of course protect your privacy and not disclose your name.   

If the request is approved, your line manager or the HR contact then takes the removal request to the relevant web editor(s) or team(s) responsible for making website updates. Ensure that you discuss with your line manager or HR contact where your name and contact details may appear, e.g. names in published committee papers. The updates may then be done directly or through the relevant call management system (e.g. UniDesk, Estates call system) but a log will be retained of the action taken regarding the removal of the data.  

Note: If you had originally given consent to having your profile photograph published on a public-facing website, you can withdraw that consent at any time to your line manager or local HR contact and have the photograph removed. If the photograph is only published on an internal site, you will need to provide a reason to your line manager or HR contact why you want t have the photograph removed and an evaluation will then take place, weighing your reasoning against the need to have your photograph visible to colleagues.  

Updating personal information on web pages 

You can request that the University updates or removes information about you on its web pages. This could be because of a name change or because you’ve left the University for example.  

Who do I need to contact? 

To request an information change or removal you should contact the website owner to request this.  

Most areas of the University manage their collection and retention of personal information independently so contact the school, unit or service which holds it. 

Not sure of the right contact? 

If are unable to find contact details please contact the Information Services Helpline detailing the change needed and the exact website address of the page containing the information.