News, blogs and speeches

ICO urges businesses to act now as Children’s Code comes into force in six months

02 March 2021, News

Initial findings from industry research set up by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) shows that three quarters of businesses surveyed are aware of the Children’s Code.

Guest blog: Working for a regulator like the ICO

01 March 2021, Blog

As the ICO seeks to employ a Post Doctoral Research Fellowship in Artificial Intelligence (AI), the former post holder, Professor Reuben Binns, reflects on his time in the role.

Supporting you to meet your information access requests

24 February 2021, Blog

Our aim at the ICO is to ensure organisations provide the public with timely access to information. We speak regularly about supporting you to meet your requirements, and we’ve published two new products to help you achieve that goal.

ICO statement in response to the publication of a draft adequacy decision from the European Commission

19 February 2021, Statement

The European Commission has today published its draft UK adequacy decisions. If adopted these decisions will allow for continued free flow of personal data from the EU into the UK. As well as its…

ICO launches data analytics toolkit

17 February 2021, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is urging all organisations considering using data analytics on personal data to look at its new toolkit.

ICO issues fines totalling £270,000 to firms making nuisance calls

12 February 2021, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has issued fines totalling £270,000 to two separate companies for making unlawful marketing calls to numbers registered with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS).

Safer Internet Day 2021

09 February 2021, Statement

Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham said: “The ICO is proud to support Safer Internet Day, which contributes to the national conversation about online privacy and trust. Children must be protected within the digital world while they learn, explore and play online.

Supporting Novartis to improve patient care during the pandemic

05 February 2021, Blog

The latest Sandbox report is from medicines company Novartis, which uses innovative science and digital technologies to help transform patient care and improve their experiences and outcomes.

ICO Technology team strengthened with new appointment

01 February 2021, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is pleased to announce that a new Director of Technology and Innovation has been appointed.

ICO launches fourth and final phase of privacy innovation grants programme

28 January 2021, News

Applications are now open for the fourth and final round of funding for the Information Commissioner’s Office’s (ICO) current grants programme. The ICO committed to run the grants programme until 2021 and work is ongoing this year to review and report on its progress.

Ambition can raise global data protection standards to benefit us all

28 January 2021, Blog

Amid a busy start to 2021, Data Protection Day provides an opportunity to step back and reflect on the continued lifting of data protection standards around the world.

Fines totalling £480,000 issued to companies making nuisance calls

27 January 2021, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has issued fines totalling £480,000 to four separate companies for making unlawful calls to numbers registered with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS).

ICO response to Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology’s (POST) on AI in healthcare

26 January 2021, Statement

An ICO spokesperson said: “The ICO contributed to the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology’s (POST) recently published research briefing (known as a POSTnote) on AI and Healthcare, on the aspects concerning privacy, data-sharing, trust and accountability in relation to personal data protection.

Elizabeth Denham's term as Information Commissioner extended

25 January 2021, Statement

An ICO spokesperson said: “Following a request from the Secretary of State for DCMS, Elizabeth Denham has agreed to extend her term as Information Commissioner to 31 October 2021, while the recruitment process for her successor is completed.

Information Commissioner looks ahead to 2021

25 January 2021, Blog

While January is always a month for looking ahead, it feels like no discussions of plans for 2021, professionally or personally, are possible without the mention of lockdown, vaccinations or talk of when ‘all this is finished’.

Maintaining data flows for a digital world

22 January 2021, Blog

Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham looks at the data protection aspects of the recently agreed UK-EU trade agreement.

Adtech investigation resumes

22 January 2021, Statement

Statement from Simon McDougall, ICO Deputy Commissioner, on the ICO's investigation into the adtech industry.

ICO supports innovative data sharing projects to protect vulnerable people

21 January 2021, News

The ICO Sandbox has selected three innovative data sharing services aimed at helping those who are vulnerable to online gambling harms, supporting ex-service men and women get the care they need, and a platform to help fight against cyber-criminals.

ICO and National Privacy Commission, Philippines, sign Memorandum of Understanding

13 January 2021, Statement

UK Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, and her counterpart in the Philippines, Commissioner and Chairman Raymund Enriquez Liboro (NPC), have today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Motor industry employee sentenced in ICO Computer Misuse Act prosecution

08 January 2021, News

A motor industry employee has been sentenced to eight months' imprisonment, suspended for two years, in a prosecution brought by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

ICO statement in response to UK Government’s announcement on the extended period for personal data flows, that will allow time to complete the adequacy process

28 December 2020, Statement

The Government has announced that the Treaty agreed with the EU will allow personal data to flow freely from the EU (and EEA) to the UK, until adequacy decisions have been adopted, for no more…

Update to the joint statement on global privacy expectations of video teleconferencing companies

23 December 2020, Statement

On 21 July 2020 the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and five other data protection and privacy regulators from around the world jointly signed an open letter to companies providing video teleconferencing services.

UK organisations using SolarWinds Orion platform should check whether personal data has been affected

23 December 2020, Statement

SolarWinds was the victim of a cyber-attack where a vulnerability was inserted into its Orion platform. Organisations using the compromised Orion platform could potentially have allowed an attacker to move into other parts of its IT Network and systems and breach personal data.

ICO calls on UK businesses to prepare to keep data flowing at the end of the transition period

21 December 2020, News

The Information Commissioner (ICO) is calling on the UK’s businesses to check whether they are impacted by data protection law before the end of the UK’s transition period with the EU on 31 December.

Six things to consider when using algorithms for employment decisions

18 December 2020, Blog

We have highlighted six key points organisations must consider before implementing algorithms for hiring purposes.