Tag: ICO

ICO launches second consultation on the draft Data protection and journalism code

Stuart Mitchell

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has launched a second consultation on a draft code of practice about using personal data for journalism (the code). The code provides practical guidance on how to comply with data protection legal requirements and good practice when using personal data for journalism. It is a statutory code under section 124 of the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018). It does not concern press conduct or standards in general. Following the first consultation that ended in January 2022, the ICO considered the feedback received from the…

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ICO sets out revised approach to public sector enforcement

Stuart Mitchell

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has set out a revised approach to working more effectively with public authorities. This approach, which is outlined in an open letter from the UK Information Commissioner John Edwards to public authorities, will see use of the Commissioner’s discretion to reduce the impact of fines on the public sector, coupled with better engagement including publicising lessons learned and sharing good practice. It will be trialled over the next two years. In practice, this will mean an increased use of the ICO’s wider powers, including warnings,…

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ICO publishes guidance on privacy enhancing technologies

Stuart Mitchell

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has published draft guidance on privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) to help organisations unlock the potential of data by putting a data protection by design approach into practice.  PETs are technologies that can help organisations share and use people’s data responsibly, lawfully, and securely, including by minimising the amount of data used and by encrypting or anonymising personal information. They are already used by financial organisations when investigating money laundering, for example, and by the healthcare sector to provide better health outcomes and services to the public. …

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ICO could impose multi-million pound fine on TikTok for failing to protect children’s privacy

Stuart Mitchell

TikTok could face a £27 million fine after an ICO investigation found that the company may have breached UK data protection law, failing to protect children’s privacy when using the TikTok platform. The ICO has issued TikTok Inc and TikTok Information Technologies UK Limited (‘TikTok’) with a ‘notice of intent’ – a legal document that precedes a potential fine. The notice sets out the ICO’s provisional view that TikTok breached UK data protection law between May 2018 and July 2020. The ICO investigation found the company may have: processed the…

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“Children are better protected online in 2022 than they were in 2021” – ICO marks anniversary of Children’s code

Stuart Mitchell

The ICO is marking the anniversary of the groundbreaking Children’s code, that has changed how children are treated online. The Children’s code was fully rolled out in September 2021, requiring online services including websites, apps and games to provide better privacy protections for children, ensuring their personal data is protected within the digital world. In the past year, the ICO’s action has prompted changes by social media platforms, gaming websites and video streaming services. Changes include targeted and personalised ads being blocked for children, children’s accounts set to private by…

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