News, blogs and speeches

Commissioner comment on Lord’s Committee digital technology report

10 July 2020, Statement

ICO statement following the Lord’s Committee on Democracy and Digital Technology’s report ‘Digital Technology and the Resurrection of Trust’.

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office open joint investigation into Clearview AI Inc.

09 July 2020, Statement

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) and the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) have opened a joint investigation into the personal information handling practices of Clearview AI Inc., focusing on the company’s use of ‘scraped’ data and biometrics of individuals.

Statement on the publication of ICO guidance to businesses collecting personal data for contact tracing

02 July 2020, Statement

Statement from Deputy Chief Executive Paul Arnold as the ICO publishes initial guidance for businesses asked to record and maintain personal data of customers, staff and visitors in support of the…

UK regulators join forces to ensure online services work well for consumers and businesses

01 July 2020, News

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and Ofcom have set up a new forum to help ensure online services work well for consumers and businesses in the UK.

ICO statement on the Competition and Markets Authority’s market study

01 July 2020, Statement

Simon McDougall, Executive Director for Technology and Innovation, said: “As data becomes ever more central to business models, the interaction between data protection and competition regulation increases. The Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) Market Study highlights the cross regulatory issues that arise in today’s digital landscape.

ICO releases findings on the use of mobile phone extraction by police forces

18 June 2020, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office has released an investigation report into the use of mobile phone extraction by police forces when conducting criminal investigations in England and Wales.

Age Appropriate Design Code is laid before Parliament

11 June 2020, Statement

ICO statement in response to the Government laying the Age Appropriate Design Code, also known as the Children's Code, before Parliament.

Statement in response to media enquiries about the Data Protection Impact Assessment for the NHSX’s trial of contact tracing app

07 May 2020, Statement

“We are reviewing the Data Protection Impact Assessment for NHSX’s pilot of its contact tracing app in the Isle of Wight. We’ll feedback our comments as quickly as possible so that they can be usefully included in the learnings from the trial.”

ICO statement on Adtech work

07 May 2020, Statement

Statement from the ICO

Information Commissioner sets out new priorities for UK data protection during COVID-19 and beyond

05 May 2020, Blog

A blog by Elizabeth Denham, Information Commissioner.

COVID-19 contact tracing: data protection expectations on app development

04 May 2020, Statement

Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham and Head of Technology and Innovation Simon McDougall appear before the Human Rights Joint Committee on 4 May 2020.

Statement in response to details about an NHSX contact tracing app to help deal with the COVID-19 pandemic

24 April 2020, Statement

Statement in response to details about an NHSX contact tracing app to help deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Combatting COVID-19 through data: some considerations for privacy

17 April 2020, Blog

A blog by Elizabeth Denham, Information Commissioner.

Video conferencing: what to watch out for

15 April 2020, Blog

Ian Hulme, the ICO’s Director of Assurance gives business owners, employers and managers advice about how to safely roll out the latest video conferencing technology.

How we will regulate during coronavirus

15 April 2020, Statement

The ICO has today published a document setting out our regulatory approach during the coronavirus pandemic.

ICO statement on investigating coronavirus scams

08 April 2020, Statement

We are supporting businesses eager to stay in touch with customers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Winner of the ICO’s Practitioner Award for Excellence in Data Protection 2020 announced

06 April 2020, Statement

Recognising the increasingly vital role played by data protection professionals, the third ICO Practitioner Award for Excellence in Data Protection is awarded ton Barry Moult, Information Governance and Privacy Consultant, and former Head of Information Governance at an NHS Trust.

Grwpiau cymunedol a COVID-19

30 March 2020, Blog

Wrth i COVID-19 barhau i ysgubo ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig, mae mwy a mwy o bobl yn cael eu sbarduno i helpu'r rhai sy’n fwyaf agored i niwed yn ein cymunedau. Mae grwpiau eglwysig, cymdeithasau cymdogaeth a chymdeithasau trigolion yn cael eu sefydlu i gefnogi gwaith grwpiau cymunedol, gwasanaethau ac elusennau sy'n bodoli eisoes.

Statement in response to the use of mobile phone tracking data to help during the coronavirus crisis

28 March 2020, Statement

Statement in response to the use of mobile phone tracking data to help during the coronavirus crisis

Community groups and COVID-19: what you need to know about data protection

26 March 2020, Blog

As COVID-19 continues to sweep across the UK, more and more people are driven to help the most vulnerable in our communities.

Council employee fined £400 for illegally deleted audio file

13 March 2020, News

A council employee has been fined £400 for an offence under the Freedom of Information (FOI) regulations.

Data protection and coronavirus

12 March 2020, Statement

We all share the same concerns about the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The need for public bodies and health practitioners to be able to communicate directly with people when dealing with this type of health emergency has never been greater.

Don’t get caught out when it comes to pupil photos

09 March 2020, Blog

We’ve issued two reprimands, which are legal warnings, recently to schools for wrongly disclosing the personal data of children.

Combining privacy and innovation: ICO Sandbox six months on

09 March 2020, Blog

It’s been an exciting, interesting and challenging first six months for the ICO Sandbox – both for those externally involved in the various projects and for the ICO staff working on the scheme. Ian Hulme discusses the progress so far.

The ICO and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner sign Memorandum of Understanding

05 March 2020, Statement

James Dipple-Johnstone (Deputy Commissioner) said: Information rights regulation, in particular data protection regulation, has an increasingly international dimension.

International airline fined £500,000 for failing to secure its customers’ personal data

04 March 2020, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined Cathay Pacific Airways Limited £500,000 for failing to protect the security of its customers’ personal data.

Scottish company hit with maximum fine for making nearly 200 million nuisance calls

02 March 2020, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined CRDNN Limited with the maximum £500,000 fine for making more than 193 million automated nuisance calls.

ICO Codes of Conduct and Certification schemes open for business

28 February 2020, News

Two key services to help organisations show accountability under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) are up and running.

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.

Global convergence in digital privacy, San Francisco

10 February 2020, Speech

Elizabeth Denham's speech on the impact of people being more engaged in their digital privacy, and the importance of international engagement. Delivered at the Commonwealth Club, San Francisco

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.