Error in request data action. Unauthorized attempt to update collect data task by .The response has not been recorded.

My workflows are cancelling themselves midway through with the following error:

 Error in request data action. Unauthorized attempt to update collect data task by .The response has not been recorded.

Now I have a huge number of half finished workflows that have a status "Error Occured"

I would not expect the workflow to break if a person who doesn't have the correct rights to perform a "Collect data" action tries to perform it.

I need to:

1. Get the workflows out of "error occured" state, so that the workflows can be completed. I would prefer not to cancel and restart them, as alot of work has already been done on the workflow.

2. I would like  to find a way for the "data collection" action not to break if the wrong person tries it out

Any help would be great