Have you noticed how many companies are trying to get the most unnecessary personal data these days? My favourite a few months ago was when I called United Utilities and they told me they couldn’t discuss my water bill over the telephone unless I gave them my date of birth.

I pointed out that I had never given them my date of birth before and that, if I did during that call, how would they know it was genuine information?

I said, no offence to them, but I wouldn’t be giving out details like that to anyone in a call centre anytime soon. And what exactly were they concerned about anyway? A stranger calling and paying my water bill? Or some mystery person getting to know how much my bill is?

So they said they couldn’t discuss the bill because it was a ‘data protection issue’. End of call.

Too damn right it is. Me protecting my data…