News, blogs and speeches

ICO statement on Conservative Party call centre

23 June 2017, Statement

The ICO released a statement to Channel Four News after the news programme carried out an undercover investigation into a call centre used by the Conservative Party during the election campaign.

Maidstone firm responsible for nuisance calls fined £50,000

22 June 2017, News

The ICO has issued a £50,000 fine to MyHome Installations Ltd for pursuing people who had specifically opted out of telephone marketing.

ICO extends global reach by hosting three international events this week

19 June 2017, News

The influence of the ICO among global information rights regulators will be demonstrated this week as the UK body hosts three international events in four days.

The ICO Grants Programme and why the time is right to support independent research

16 June 2017, Blog

While the school year may be nearing its end and university students are already returning home for the summer, we at the ICO have launched our first ever Grants Programme for new, independent research into data protection and privacy enhancing solutions, and we believe it is a genuinely exciting development.

Morrisons supermarket chain fined for flouting customers’ marketing wishes

16 June 2017, News, Retail and manufacture

A national supermarket chain has been fined for breaking the law on how people’s personal information should be treated when sending marketing emails.

ICO Deputy Commissioners appointed

13 June 2017, News

The Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham is pleased to announce the appointment of two new deputy commissioners.

Gloucester City Council fined by ICO for leaving personal information vulnerable to attack

12 June 2017, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office has fined Gloucester City Council £100,000 after a cyber attacker accessed council employees’ sensitive personal information.

Former claims company manager fined £2,000 over blagging calls to obtain personal data

09 June 2017, News

A former claims company manager has been prosecuted for leading a team involved in ‘blagging’ calls to illegally obtain personal data.

More raids during investigation into accident claims calls

09 June 2017, News

Homes in the North West have been searched as part of an extensive ongoing investigation by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

National Police Chiefs' Council Information Practitioner event

07 June 2017, Speech

Original script may differ from delivered version Elizabeth Denham talks data protection and policing at the NPCC Information Practitioner event, in Kenilworth, Warwickshire. Good…

ICO launches Grants Programme to promote data protection and privacy research

06 June 2017, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has launched a Grants Programme to promote and support independent, innovative research and solutions focused on privacy and data protection issues.

Essex local authority fined for publishing sensitive personal data in online planning documents

31 May 2017, News, Local government

A council has been fined £150,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for publishing sensitive personal information about a family. Basildon Borough Council breached the Data…

Will GDPR Change the World? event

25 May 2017, Speech

Rob Luke's keynote speech at the TechUK event 'Will GDPR Change the World?' in London, Thursday 25 May 2017.

Businesses warned to prepare with one year until data protection law change

25 May 2017, News

Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham has today told businesses there’s no time to delay in preparing for “the biggest change to data protection law for a generation”.

Interesting times, and how we navigate them

25 May 2017, Blog

Elizabeth Denham blogs on the launch of the ICO’s Information Rights Strategic Plan

The Information Commissioner opens a formal investigation into the use of data analytics for political purposes

17 May 2017, Blog

In March we announced we were conducting an assessment of the data protection risks arising from the use of data analytics, including for political purposes.

Radcliffe used-car dealer fined £40,000 for sending 336,000 spam texts

17 May 2017, News

A Greater Manchester used-car dealer that sent hundreds of thousands of spam texts has been fined £40,000.

Firm fined for nuisance calls to people registered with the Telephone Preference Service

17 May 2017, News

A double-glazing company has been fined £50,000 for making nuisance calls to people who had specifically stated they didn’t want to be contacted.

GP Surgery administrator fined for illegally accessing patient records

16 May 2017, News

A former NHS administrator has been fined for unlawfully accessing patient records. Sally Anne Day, of Abergavenny, Wales, appeared for sentencing at Newport Crown Court having pleaded guilty to two offences under section 55 of the Data Protection Act.

Ransomware blog

16 May 2017, Blog

Simon Rice talks about how businesses can prevent ransomware attacks.

Hampshire company fined after 3.3m spam texts sent

16 May 2017, News

A Fareham firm has been hit with a £100,000 fine from the Information Commissioner’s Office for sending millions of spam texts about mobile phone upgrades.

ICO statement on recent cyber attacks on the NHS

15 May 2017, Statement

The ICO has released a statement concerning the recent cyber attacks on the NHS.

ICO releases annual performance statistics for 2016/17

12 May 2017, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office has dealt with record numbers of data protection incidents, nuisance marketing cases and individual complaints.

Record fine for firm behind nearly 100 million nuisance calls

10 May 2017, News

A company behind 99.5 million nuisance calls has been fined a record £400,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Greater Manchester Police fined after victim interview videos go missing

04 May 2017, News

Greater Manchester Police has been fined £150,000 after three DVDs containing footage of interviews with victims of violent or sexual crimes got lost in the post.

Online retailer left customers’ financial details vulnerable to cyber attack

02 May 2017, News

An online building products supplier has been fined £55,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) after the firm failed to protect its customers’ personal information.

Information Commissioner warns political groups to campaign within the law

28 April 2017, News

The UK’s Information Commissioner has written to all major political parties reminding them of their obligations when contacting potential supporters during the General Election campaign.

'Fab-Lab' in Brussels

25 April 2017, Blog

The ICO's Carl Wiper and Chris Green took part in a ‘Fab-Lab’ organised by the Article 29 Working Party.

Cheshire financial firm fined for sending spam texts offering loans

19 April 2017, News

A finance brokerage firm responsible for sending thousands of spam text messages has been fined £40,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Draft GDPR Consent guidance receives a significant response

13 April 2017, Blog

The issue of consent surrounding the use of data has proved to be increasingly high-profile recently – and that has been reflected in the large number of responses to our draft GDPR Consent guidance.

North West homes raided as part of nuisance call investigation

11 April 2017, News

Two search warrants were executed today (11 April) at properties in the North West as part of an ongoing investigation into nuisance calls related to data theft from car body repair shops.

ICO appoints new Deputy CEO and Deputy Commissioner

07 April 2017, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office is pleased to announce two senior appointments to help strengthen its strategic work in regulating the use of data.

Profiling under the GDPR: feedback request

06 April 2017, Blog

We've published our initial thoughts on profiling under the GDPR. We’d like to hear your feedback and use it to inform our work on the topic.

ePrivacy reform: Privacy and electronic communications regulations (PECR) under review

05 April 2017, Blog

The ICO's Jo Pedder discusses the European Commission's recently published proposal for the new updated ePrivacy Regulation.

ICO fines eleven more charities

05 April 2017, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office has fined eleven charities that breached the Data Protection Act by misusing donors’ personal data.

Dirwyo cwmni yng Nghymru am anfon 4.4 miliwn o negeseuon testun sbam

30 March 2017, News

Mae Abertawe wedi ei henwi yn “brifddinas galwadau digroeso'r Deyrnas Unedig” wedi i ddau gwmni arall yn y ddinas gael dirwy gan Swyddfa'r Comisiynydd Gwybodaeth.

ICO issues fines totalling £220,000 to nuisance marketing firms

30 March 2017, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has taken action against two nuisance marketing firms, continuing its fight against companies that flout the rules.

New resources launched to help health sector

29 March 2017, News

The ICO has launched a new set of resources aimed at improving records management in the health sector.

Garages, new homes and old offices: the records management mistakes that put health records at risk

29 March 2017, Blog

A quick look through the health cases seen by the ICO enforcement team suggests work to do around garages and decommissioning as well as gigabytes and denial of service attacks

ICO warns UK firms to respect customers’ data wishes as it fines Flybe and Honda

27 March 2017, News

Two companies have been fined a total of £83,000 for breaking the rules about how people’s personal information should be treated when sending marketing emails.

ICO statement in relation to the potential risk to patient medical records held by GPs on TPP SystmOne

21 March 2017, Statement

Statement regarding the continued use of TPP SystmOne by GPs in the light of data protection concerns.

ICO survey shows many councils have work to do to prepare for new data protection law

20 March 2017, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has today published the results of a survey completed by local councils at the end of last year, along with a blog highlighting guidance available to help councils achieve compliance with the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).