Between 2000 and 2014, the UK Post Office successfully prosecuted 736 sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses for false accounting and theft - an average of one a week - based on information from a new computer system called Horizon. Some of those convicted went to prison, many were financially ruined, many suffered anxiety and depression, and have described being shunned by their communities. Some died, still having a criminal record. But the problem was with the computer system - not the staff. Misreporting by the system caused discrepancies in the accounts leading to incorrect financial shortfalls in thousands of post offices. The Post Office continued to prosecute staff even after bugs were identified in the system. It took almost 20 years for the Post Office to admit responsibility.
In this talk we will identify what went wrong - how a policy of fear and coverups, poor communication, lack of ethics and an inability to take action or responsibility led to what has been described as the largest miscarriage of justice in the UK. Most importantly, we will look at the effect that this had on the people who were effected most - how one buggy computer system led to the ruination of people's lives and careers.
Key takeaways:- Any computer system - not just medical or defence - can have a significant effect on the people who use it.
- The ethical challenges when testing.
- The importance of being transparent and up-front when dealing with issues and concerns.
