Tag: ICO
ICO Launches UK Code of Practice on Data Sharing
A new statutory code has been published recently by the ICO. The new release hopes to help businesses and public sector bodies share information appropriately. The code aims to produce a better understanding of when, where and how personal information should be shared and details how to keep data secure. It will also produce a better relationship between organisations wishing to share their data. Furthermore there will be less chance …
ICO praises calls for expanding Freedom of Information powers
Reforms to the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, which are being discussed by the government, have been given the thumbs up by data protection watchdog the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which believes greater transparency will ensure greater fairness in the future. One of the biggest changes that will be made in the first slew of reforms will reduce the amount of time that data can be withheld from the National …
DPA breach by Scottish Court Service investigated by ICO
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has become involved in an investigation into an alleged breach of the Data Protection Act (DPA) by the Scottish Court Service. Private data contained within court documents was improperly disposed of at a recycling centre in Glasgow, according to reports, which has led to the ICO confronting the organisation with a formal undertaking. The initial data loss was discovered in September last year when a …
Data harvesting concerns voiced over NHS Choices website
Fears that the NHS Choices website is allowing data about visitors to be gathered by social networking sites and third party firms, have been voiced to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which has begun investigating the claims. Analysis of the privacy policy which governs visitors to the site shows that anyone who lands on a page that has a Facebook element embedded, will have data relating to their visit and …
ICO issues fines months after new punitive powers were gained
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has for the first time taken advantage of new powers it was issued with earlier in the year, to level fines against private and public organisations which have been held responsible for data loss or theft. In an announcement made this week, the ICO said that a £100,000 fine is being put at the feet of Hertfordshire County Council, in response to a pair of …
Freedom of information requests could apply to government contractors
Private sector firms which handled data for public sector organisations could come under the remit of Freedom of Information (FoI) legislation, if a Cabinet Office Review carried out by Southampton University’s Nigel Shadbolt find in favour of this proposal. The revision to enforce data transparency if private businesses are working on the government’s dime was proposed as part of the Lib Dem manifesto before the election and the party is …
Council data loss tackled by ICO
The Information Commissioner’s Office has concluded that New Forest District Council was in breach of the terms of the Data Protection Act (DPA), when in 2008 it exposed the details of private citizens online. The data leak occurred when the council made public details of an application for planning permission, while failing to omit information which could have been exploited. This led to a complaint from the implicated party. The …
Parliamentary data leak addressed by ICO
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has looked into an incident during which the personal data of many MPs was left open to exploitation during ongoing IT work carried out in the summer of 2010. As a result of the ICO’s investigation, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) has said that it will be clamping down to ensure that such an eventuality is not possible in the future. For almost a …
Survey finds public sector ahead in data security struggle
Organisations in the public sector are better prepared to face the risks to data security than those operating in the private sector. This is according to the findings of a survey carried out on behalf of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). This level of preparedness is said to exist as a result of improved employee awareness and training to ensure that data protection in the public sector is always evolving …
ICO criticises city council in Portsmouth over data leak
The information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has revealed details about an unintended data leak which saw Portsmouth City Council hand over sensitive information about a local resident, after a request was made for details relating to another person entirely. The ICO said that this occurred after a subject access request, during which a worker neglected to fully redact the documents before distribution, allowing private information to leak. The ICO investigated this …
