News, blogs and speeches

Statement regarding the government’s initial response to Online Harms White Paper consultation

12 February 2020, Statement

Statement regarding the government’s in itial response to Online Harms White Paper consultation.

Joint statement warning FCA-authorised firms and insolvency practitioners to be responsible when dealing with personal data

07 February 2020, Statement

Joint statement from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

ICO celebrates excellence in data protection with third annual award for practitioners

04 February 2020, News

The Information Commissioner is looking for data protection practitioners who have made an outstanding impact within their organisation.

Statement on data protection and Brexit implementation – what you need to do

29 January 2020, Statement

The UK will leave the European Union on 31 January and enter a Brexit transition period.

Data Protection Day 2020

28 January 2020, News

The ICO is marking this year’s annual Data Protection Day by highlighting data sharing resources and guidance.

ICO launches latest phase of privacy innovation grants programme

28 January 2020, News

Applications are now open for the third round of funding from the Information Commissioner’s Office’s (ICO) grants programme. The scheme, which began in 2017, supports privacy and data…

ICO statement in response to an announcement made by the Metropolitan Police Service on the use of live facial recognition

24 January 2020, Statement

In October 2019 we concluded our investigation into how police use live facial recognition technology (LFR) in public places. Our investigation found there was public support for police use of LFR but also that there needed to be improvements in how police authorised and deployed the technology if it was to retain public confidence and address privacy concerns. We set out our views in a formal Opinion for police forces.

ICO attends the second ICIC FOI case handling workshop

23 January 2020, Blog

Hosted by the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority, the annual workshop provides an opportunity for different jurisdictions across the globe to share working practices and ideas. ICO colleagues in attendance provide an overview of the event.

ICO publishes Code of Practice to protect children’s privacy online

21 January 2020, News

Today the Information Commissioner’s Office has published its final Age Appropriate Design Code – a set of 15 standards that online services should meet to protect children’s privacy.

ICO yn cyhoeddi Cod Ymarfer i ddiogelu preifatrwydd plant ar-lein

21 January 2020, News

Heddiw, mae Swyddfa'r Comisiynydd Gwybodaeth wedi cyhoeddi ei Chod Dylunio Oed-briodol – sef set o 15 o safonau y dylai gwasanaethau ar-lein eu bodloni i ddiogelu preifatrwydd plant.

Blog: Adtech - the reform of real time bidding has started and will continue

17 January 2020, Blog

The adtech real time bidding (RTB) industry is complex, involving thousands of companies in the UK alone.

National retailer fined half a million pounds for failing to secure information of at least 14 million people

09 January 2020, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined DSG Retail Limited (DSG) £500,000 after a ‘point of sale’ computer system was compromised as a result of a cyber-attack, affecting at least 14 million people.

ICO launches consultation on draft direct marketing code of practice

08 January 2020, Statement

ICO launches consultation on draft direct marketing code of practice

Blog: The benefits of sharing personal data – what can we learn from Open Banking?

06 January 2020, Blog

The ICO’s Regulators’ Business Innovation Privacy Hub has recently been looking at the key data protection considerations for innovators who are working in the Open Banking space.

Trust, technology and slippers with torches

23 December 2019, Blog

Much has changed since Jonathan Bamford, (former) Director of Strategic Policy (Domestic Policy), joined the Information Commissioner’s Office, but as he comes to retire, he reflects on 34 years in data protection.

Statement on ICO-approved certification schemes

20 December 2019, Statement

The ICO has announced it will be working with UK Accreditation Service (UKAS) to deliver the ICO-approved certification schemes. The ICO will approve and publish the certification schemes and,…

Adtech and the data protection debate – where next?

20 December 2019, Blog

Six months ago we issued our Adtech Update Report with a clear message to industry that they had six months to read, internalise and act upon our report. Our view from the outset was that this is an industry problem requiring an industry solution. We have just reached the end of that six month period and are reviewing our findings.

London pharmacy fined after “careless” storage of patient data

20 December 2019, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined a London-based pharmacy £275,000 for failing to ensure the security of special category data.

The Data Protection Fee: does your company need to pay?

03 December 2019, Blog

We have launched a campaign to contact all registered companies in the UK reminding them of their legal responsibility to pay a data protection fee.

ICO and The Alan Turing Institute open consultation on first piece of AI guidance

02 December 2019, Blog

What do we really understand about how decisions are made about us using artificial intelligence (AI)? The potential for AI is huge, but its implementation is often complex, which makes it difficult for people to understand how it works. And when people don’t understand a technology, it can lead to doubt, uncertainty and mistrust.

ICO Deputy Commissioner appointed OECD working party chair

27 November 2019, News

The ICO’s Steve Wood has been appointed as chair of the OECD’s Working Party on Data Governance and Privacy.

ICO submits Age Appropriate Design Code of Practice to government

22 November 2019, News

The Information Commissioner has today (Friday 22 November) submitted the final version of the Age Appropriate Design Code of Practice to the Secretary of State in accordance with the statutory deadline.

Blog: Data ethics and the digital economy

18 November 2019, Blog

We’ve just appointed our first data ethics adviser, Ellis Parry, to consider data protection and ethics challenges over the next year.

Why special category personal data needs to be handled even more carefully

14 November 2019, Blog

Imagine if your medical records, information about your sex life or your political opinions were put into the public domain so anyone could see them. When personal data is shared by mistake the effects can be extremely damaging.

Information rights blog: Access to Information in Turbulent Times

13 November 2019, Blog

This is the first in a series of blog posts covering our regulation of access to information legislation. The first post is by Gill Bull, ICO’s Director of Freedom of Information Complaints and Compliance, who delivered the 2019 Bond Lecture at the British Records Association on 13 November 2019.