The UK’s independent authority set up to uphold information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals.

News, blogs and speeches

285 in total

ICO issues provisional view to fine Clearview AI Inc over £17 million

29 November 2021, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has today announced its provisional intent to impose a potential fine of just over £17 million on Clearview AI Inc – a company that describes itself as the ‘World’s Largest Facial Network’.

ICO calls on Google and other companies to eliminate existing privacy risks posed by adtech industry

25 November 2021, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has today set out clear data protection standards that companies must meet to safeguard people’s privacy online when developing new advertising technologies (adtech).  

Letter to 5Rights Foundation in response to the charity’s research into systemic breaches of the Age Appropriate Design Code (Children’s code)

17 November 2021, News

Letter to 5Rights Foundations in response to the charity’s research into common breaches of the Age Appropriate Design Code (Children’s code)

ICO warning after Scottish charity reveals personal data in email error

22 October 2021, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is urging organisations to revisit their bulk email practices after failures by HIV Scotland led to a £10,000 fine.

ICO response to DCMS consultation “Data: a new direction”

07 October 2021, News

Foreword from Elizabeth Denham CBE, UK Information Commissioner The opportunity to reflect on and review the UK data protection legal framework and regulatory regime is a welcome one. Three…

We Buy Any Car, Sports Direct and Saga fined £495,000 after sending millions of ‘frustrating and intrusive’ nuisance messages.

15 September 2021, News

The ICO has today announced fines totalling £495,000 to well-known companies that between them sent more than 354 million nuisance messages.

G7 data protection and privacy authorities’ meeting: communiqué

09 September 2021, News

The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) brought together data protection and privacy authorities from G7 countries, as well as guests from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the World Economic Forum (WEF), for a discussion this week on shared emerging challenges that need closer international collaboration.

ICO to call on G7 countries to tackle cookie pop-ups challenge

07 September 2021, News

The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) will today call on fellow G7 data protection and privacy authorities to work together to overhaul cookie consent pop-ups, so people’s privacy is more meaningfully protected and businesses can provide a better web browsing experience.  

ICO fines Glasgow company for making half a million nuisance calls

05 September 2021, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined Glasgow-based company DialADeal Scotland Ltd (DDSL) for making more than half a million nuisance marketing calls.  

ICO fines company for illegal pensions calls

19 August 2021, News

The ICO has fined Halifax-based company Parkin Beacher Ltd (PBL) £50,000 for making illegal marketing calls to people about their pensions.

New certification schemes will “raise the bar” of data protection in children’s privacy, age assurance and asset disposal

19 August 2021, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has approved the first UK GDPR certification scheme criteria.

ICO consults on how organisations can continue to protect people’s personal data when it’s transferred outside of the UK

11 August 2021, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has launched a public consultation on its draft international data transfer agreement (IDTA) and guidance.

New guidance on direct marketing and the public sector

04 August 2021, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has published a new resource to help public sector organisations understand when the direct marketing rules will apply to their messages.

Nuisance call blocker company fined £170,000 for making almost 200,000 illegal marketing calls

02 August 2021, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined Yes Consumer Solutions Limited (YCSL) £170,000 for making 188,493 unsolicited direct marketing calls to customers registered with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS).  

ICO approves the first UK eIDAS Regulations Qualified Trust Service Provider

27 July 2021, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office has approved GlobalSign as the UK’s first qualified trust service provider [QTSP] under the UK eIDAS Regulations.

ICO fines transgender charity for data protection breach exposing sensitive personal data

08 July 2021, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined transgender charity Mermaids £25,000 for failing to keep the personal data of its users secure.  

New class resources will help empower young people to take control of their online privacy

05 July 2021, News

The UK’s data protection regulator is helping children and young people understand the power of their personal data as they learn, play and socialise online.  

Bydd adnoddau dosbarth newydd yn helpu i rymuso pobl ifanc i arddel rheolaeth dros eu preifatrwydd ar-lein

05 July 2021, News

Mae rheoleiddiwr diogelu data'r Deyrnas Unedig yn helpu plant a phobl ifanc i ddeall grym eu data personol wrth iddyn nhw ddysgu, chwarae a chymdeithasu ar-lein.  

Leeds firm fined £200,000 for illegal nuisance calls

01 July 2021, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined Leeds-based Brazier Consulting Services Ltd (BCS) £200,000 for making more than 11 million unlawful claims management calls.

Nuisance calls land home improvements company with a £130,000 fine from the ICO

23 June 2021, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined a home improvement company £130,000 for making more than 900,000 nuisance marketing calls.

ICO fines national takeaway pizza company for unlawfully sending marketing messages to its customers

15 June 2021, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined Papa John’s (GB) Limited £10,000 for sending 168,022 nuisance marketing messages to its customers without the valid consent required by law.  

Yr ICO yn dirwyo tri chwmni £415,000 am marchnata niwsans

08 June 2021, News

Mae’r Swyddfa’r Comisiynydd Gwybodaeth (ICO) wedi dirwyo tri chwmni wahanol cyfanswm o £415,000 am anfon marchnata niwsans i bobl am gyllid ceir, paneli solar a chynlluniau angladd.

ICO fines three companies £415,000 for nuisance marketing

08 June 2021, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined three separate companies a total of £415,000 for sending nuisance marketing to people about car finance, solar panels and funeral plans.

Conservative Party fined £10,000 for sending unlawful emails

03 June 2021, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined the Conservative Party £10,000 for sending 51 marketing emails to people who did not want to receive them.

Amex fined for sending four million unlawful emails

20 May 2021, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined American Express Services Europe Limited (Amex) £90,000 for sending more than four million marketing emails to customers who did not want to receive them.