Deputy Marc Leadbeater

Home Affairs has denied systematically monitoring a Guernsey Deputy, or anyone else, despite social media logs – including screenshots taken by the committee’s President.

Deputy Rob Curgenven had previously complained that detailed records of his online activity had been compiled and disclosed through a Subject Access Request.

The issue was raised formally by Deputy Liam McKenna, who put a series of Rule 14 questions to the Home Affairs about how the material had been gathered, processed and retained.

In its response, the committee denied any suggestion of a “systematic monitoring exercise”.

It said it had not engaged any third parties to collect or analyse social media data, and that civil servants were “not routinely engaged” in such activity.

Took screenshots

Instead, Home Affairs said the information had been brought together reactively, in response to correspondence and public commentary about the committee’s work.

It said civil servants spent about four hours putting together a summary document to understand the “context of [the] communications” and determine whether any response was required.

  • A band man in glasses and a jacket sits on a green wooden bench next to a hedge, holding a sheet of A4 paper with a screenshot of redacted messages on it.
  • Redacted document showing a table of social media activity logs attributed to “RC,” including entries such as “responds” and “likes the post,” with excerpts of comments quoted and large sections blacked out.
  • Screenshot compilation of a social media post and responses attributed to “RC,” including highlighted phrases such as “What do you think?” and moderation comments, with multiple redactions and annotations.
  • Heavily redacted document showing recorded exchanges attributed to “RC,” including replies about legal limits, prosecutions, and calls for independent auditing, with highlighted excerpts and blacked‑out sections.
  • Redacted document showing a logged exchange where “RC responds” about decisions on naming suspects, followed by a section titled “File 14 – The People’s Trust,” including a highlighted “RC post Press article” and the question “What do you think?”, with most text blacked out.
  • Heavily redacted table of social media interactions attributed to “RC,” including highlighted excerpts such as a comment about explaining events being “too unpleasant to share publicly,” alongside entries showing likes and responses.
  • Redacted log of responses and replies attributed to “RC,” including highlighted notes such as “acknowledged with a sad face emoji,” “You’re a Good Man Rob,” and “Well said RC,” with large sections obscured.
  • Heavily redacted document showing logged social media responses attributed to “RC,” including a highlighted quote stating the “evidential threshold was passed” but prosecution was declined as “not in the public interest,” with entries noting replies and a “likes post” action.

Deputy Marc Leadbeater, Home Affairs President, admitted he had personally taken some screenshots “relating to matters connected with the committee’s responsibilities”.

Other screenshots were sent in by members of the public and other Deputies, he said.

Despite this, Home Affairs stressed that the activity was limited and “not routine”.

It said Deputy Curgenven’s data was never “formally presented to or considered by” the committee itself.

However, members did watch a video he had posted publicly on social media expressing his opinion on one of the committee’s services.

Public posts

Deputy Curgenven had previously posted a series of videos on social media about the social media logs.

He cast doubt on the idea that “members of the public spent hundreds and hundreds of hours trawling through social media” to create them.

“Apparently, none of [Homes Affairs’] civil servants had anything to do with the retention, the collation, the third party sharing of your documentation,” Deputy Curgenven added.