Which? recommends PC owners become Super Smash Bros

In the movie Logan’s Run, humans who hit 30 are disposed of by the totalitarian regime. It’s a harsh way to go once you're no longer useful. But on the face of advice given by Which? Magazine, a similar fate is awaiting the nation’s computers.

The consumer journal has highlighted the problem of fraudsters and crims getting info from hardrives which have been abandoned at landfills. After running wiping software on eight drives, the mag then found it was still able to recover information that should have been gone forever. And amazingly it has concluded from its research that the only sure-fire way to put a stop to it is to take a hammer to your computer.

"PCs contain more valuable personal information than ever as people increasingly shop online, use social networking sites and take digital photos," said Sarah Kidner, editor of Which? Computing.

"Such information could bring identity thieves a hefty payday. It sounds extreme, but the only way to be 100 per cent safe is to smash your hard drive into smithereens."

Given the huge readership of Which? it’s not hard to see the article resulting in mass smashing of hard drives up and down this fair sceptred isle in an orgy of ultraviolence. But is all this really necessary?

I’m not so sure it is. My suspicions were raised in particular by the fact that free software was used by the mag to wipe the drives. Surely, this is a pretty foolhardy move? As any fule kno, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. And equally there’s no such thing as effective wiping software for free.

I'd say that investing in some effective wiping software is the best way of staying safe. Unlike Which's recommendations this approach won't deprive charities and schools in the developing world of vital second-hand computers.