Tag: ICO

ICO and Ofcom strengthen partnership on online safety and data protection

Stuart Mitchell

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and Ofcom have today set out how we will work together to ensure coherence between the data protection and the new online safety regimes. Our joint statement builds on our existing cooperative approach to regulation – and on our close working relationship established as co-founders of the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum. In anticipation of Ofcom taking on new duties in 2023 under the Online Safety Bill, the statement sets out our shared regulatory aims. We want: people who use online services to have confidence that…

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ICO launches consultation on how it prioritises FOI complaints

Stuart Mitchell

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has launched a consultation on how it prioritises the complaints it receives about public bodies’ handling of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. Limited funding, an increase in FOI cases brought to the ICO and an increased need to support stretched public authorities have created ‘a perfect storm’. The ICO is therefore looking at ways to improve its FOI casework services to make information rights work more effectively. The proposal is to prioritise complaints where there is a clear public interest in the information that has…

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‘Immature biometric technologies could be discriminating against people’ says ICO in warning to organisations

Stuart Mitchell

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is warning organisations to assess the public risks of using emotion analysis technologies, before implementing these systems. Organisations that do not act responsibly, posing risks to vulnerable people, or fail to meet ICO expectations will be investigated. Emotional analysis technologies process data such as gaze tracking, sentiment analysis, facial movements, gait analysis, heartbeats, facial expressions and skin moisture. Examples include monitoring the physical health of workers by offering wearable screening tools or using visual and behavioural methods including body position, speech, eyes and head movements…

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‘Biggest cyber risk is complacency, not hackers’ – UK Information Commissioner issues warning as construction company fined £4.4 million

Stuart Mitchell

The UK Information Commissioner has warned that companies are leaving themselves open to cyber attack by ignoring crucial measures like updating software and training staff. The warning comes as the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) issued a fine of £4,400,000 to Interserve Group Ltd, a Berkshire based construction company, for failing to keep personal information of its staff secure. This is a breach of data protection law. The ICO found that the company failed to put appropriate security measures in place to prevent a cyber attack, which enabled hackers to access…

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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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