News, blogs and speeches

A joint statement by Ofcom and the Information Commissioner’s Office on collaboration on the regulation of online services

01 May 2024, Statement

We have published a joint statement with Ofcom about collaboration on the regulation of online services where online safety and data protection intersect.

Information Commissioner: Persistent sensitive information breaches failing people living with HIV

30 April 2024, News

People living with HIV denied “basic dignity and privacy” by repeated data breaches that disclose their HIV status

Director’s update: the FOI year in review

24 April 2024, Blog

It’s fair to say that it’s been a heck of a year for the FOI team.

ICO statement on Upper Tribunal ruling

24 April 2024, Statement

The Upper Tribunal has ruled on the ICO’s action to require Experian Limited to change how it handles people’s personal data, dismissing the ICO’s appeal of the First-tier Tribunal’s ruling of 20 February 2023.

ICO yn dirwyo dau gwmni cyfanswm o £340,000 am wneud galwadau marchnata ymosodol a digroeso

24 April 2024, News

Bron 1.43 miliwn o alwadau wedi’u gwneud dros gyfnod o 13 mis

ICO fines two companies a total of £340,000 for making aggressive and unwanted marketing calls

24 April 2024, News

Almost 1.43 million calls made over a 13-month period.

Housing association reprimanded for exposing personal information on online portal

17 April 2024, News

We have issued a reprimand to Clyde Valley Housing Association in Lanarkshire after personal information was accessible to other residents on an online customer portal.

ICO publishes guidance to improve transparency in health and social care

15 April 2024, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is supporting health and social care organisations to ensure they are being transparent with people about how their personal information is being used.

Information Commissioner’s Office seeks views on accuracy of generative AI models

12 April 2024, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has launched the latest instalment in its consultation series examining how data protection law applies to the development and use of generative AI.

ICO joins global data protection and privacy enforcement programme

04 April 2024, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has signed onto a new international multilateral agreement with the Global Cooperation Arrangement for Privacy Enforcement (Global CAPE) to cooperate in cross-border data protection and privacy enforcement.

ICO sets out priorities to protect children's privacy online

03 April 2024, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is calling on social media and video-sharing platforms to improve their data protection practices so children are safer when using their services. This comes as the regulator sets out its 2024-2025 priorities for protecting children's personal information online.

ICO statement in response to reports of data breach at The London Clinic

20 March 2024, Statement

An ICO spokesperson said: “We can confirm that we have received a breach report and are assessing the information provided.”

ICO publishes new fining guidance

18 March 2024, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office has published new data protection fining guidance setting out how it decides to issue penalties and calculate fines.

ICO reprimands Dover Harbour Board and Kent Police over information sharing

15 March 2024, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has issued reprimands to Dover Harbour Board and Kent Police after they breached data protection law.

ICO reprimands London Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime for complaint web form error

14 March 2024, News

Web form to complain about the Metropolitan Police Service accidentally revealed victims' data

ICO fines Wigan-based Pinnacle Life £80,000 for “predatory” spam call campaign

07 March 2024, News

Wigan-based company Pinnacle Life has been fined £80,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for a year-long unlawful spam phone call campaign.

ICO launches “consent or pay” call for views and updates on cookie compliance work

06 March 2024, Blog

A blog by Stephen Almond, Executive Director, Regulatory Risk.

ICO warns charities about direct marketing rules as it orders Penny Appeal to stop sending spam texts

05 March 2024, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has ordered a charity to stop sending unsolicited marketing texts to people without their consent, as it reminds all charities of their legal obligations.

ICO takes regulatory action against five public authorities under the FOI Act

04 March 2024, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has taken action against five public authorities for continued failings to meet their obligations under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.

Information Commissioner calls for senior leaders to take transparency seriously

04 March 2024, News

Today, as my office takes further regulatory action against five public organisations for their continued failings to meet their obligations under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, I am writing to remind you that transparency is essential if the people and communities we serve are to have confidence in the way that public services are delivered.

Y Comisiynydd Gwybodaeth yn galw ar uwch arweinwyr i gymryd tryloywder o ddifrif

04 March 2024, News

Heddiw, wrth i'm swyddfa gymryd camau rheoleiddio pellach yn erbyn pedwar sefydliad cyhoeddus am eu methiannau parhaus i gyflawni eu rhwymedigaethau o dan y Ddeddf Rhyddid Gwybodaeth, rwy’n ysgrifennu atoch i'ch atgoffa bod tryloywder yn hanfodol os yw'r bobl a'r cymunedau rydyn ni’n eu gwasanaethu i fod yn hyderus yn y ffordd y mae gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yn cael eu darparu.

ICO reassures employers they can share staff data in a mental health emergency

01 March 2024, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has published new guidance to give employers more certainty about sharing their workers’ personal details in a mental health emergency.

ICO reprimands West Midlands Police for data protection failure

01 March 2024, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has issued a reprimand to West Midlands Police (WMP) after the force repeatedly mixed up two people’s personal information.

ICO finds the Home Office’s pilot of GPS electronic monitoring of migrants breached UK data protection law

01 March 2024, News

Home Office pilot scheme failed to assess privacy intrusion of GPS monitoring.

ICO and Federal Communications Commission sign Memorandum of Understanding

29 February 2024, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which formalises their commitment to work together to protect people from unwanted nuisance calls, spam messaging and the misuse of private and sensitive data.