News, blogs and speeches

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.

ICO yn cyhoeddi Cod Ymarfer newydd ynghylch Rhannu Data

17 December 2020, News

Heddiw, mae Swyddfa'r Comisiynydd Gwybodaeth (ICO) wedi cyhoeddi ei Data Sharing Code of Practice.

ICO publishes new Data Sharing Code of Practice

17 December 2020, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has today published its Data Sharing Code of Practice

ICO to recover £250,000 fine from Manchester claims management firm

16 December 2020, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) Financial Recovery Unit (FRU) is starting proceedings to retrieve £250,000 from defunct company Pownall Marketing Limited (PML). The company was recently …

Supporting NHS COVID-19 vaccine research in the pandemic

15 December 2020, Blog

The ICO has been working with NHS Digital during the pandemic as part of the sandbox to help them deliver a mechanism to sign volunteers up to COVID-19 vaccine research.

ICO and Global Cyber Alliance sign Memorandum of Understanding

11 December 2020, Statement

Steve Eckersley, Director of Investigations, ICO, said: “The Information Commissioner’s Office is the UK independent regulator responsible for upholding information rights and people’s privacy.…

ICO warns public to be vigilant against pensions cold callers

09 December 2020, News

London company Pension House Exchange (PHE) has been fined £45,000 for making more than 39,000 nuisance calls to people about their pensions. Last year, the law changed to limit who can call…

ICO launches tool to help police forces using data analytics

09 December 2020, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is urging police forces to build in data protection from the start when considering data analytics projects.

Competition and Markets Authority advises government on new regulatory regime for tech giants

08 December 2020, Statement

Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham said: “We welcome the publication of the Digital Markets Taskforce Advice and we have been pleased to support the work of the Taskforce.

ICO fines Lincolnshire mortgage broker £50,000 for sending thousands of nuisance texts

04 December 2020, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined OSL Financial Consultancy Limited (OSL) £50,000 for illegally sending 174,342 nuisance marketing texts.

Marketing boss banned after thousands of nuisance calls

26 November 2020, News

Marketing company director who made over 75,500 unsolicited marketing calls banned for six years.

Updated ICO statement on recommendations published by the European Data Protection Board following the Schrems II case

13 November 2020, Statement

Updated ICO statement on recommendations published by the European Data Protection Board following the Schrems II case

ICO fines Ticketmaster UK Limited £1.25million for failing to protect customers’ payment details

13 November 2020, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined Ticketmaster UK Limited £1.25million for failing to keep its customers’ personal data secure.

Blog: Access to information: driving change through education, engagement and enforcement

12 November 2020, Blog

Here at the ICO, we recognise how hard organisations are working to keep running effective businesses and services in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Open Data Institute’s 2020 virtual summit

12 November 2020, Speech

Elizabeth Denham spoke at the Open Data Institute’s 2020 virtual summit. She spoke about the role of trust in innovation, where data ethics and social equality overlap, and the hope that 2021 might be a year of opportunity.

UK political parties must improve data protection practices

11 November 2020, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has set out how seven of the UK’s political parties need to improve the way they handle people’s personal data after assessing how they manage data protection.

Sandbox helps develop innovative tools to combat financial crime

05 November 2020, Blog

Two innovations to help companies tackle financial crime are the latest results to come out of the sandbox.

ICO fines Marriott International Inc £18.4million for failing to keep customers’ personal data secure

30 October 2020, News

The ICO has fined Marriott International Inc £18.4million for failing to keep millions of customers’ personal data secure.

Greater Manchester claims management company fined £250,000 for making millions of nuisance calls

29 October 2020, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined Reliance Advisory Limited (RAL) £250,000 for breaking electronic marketing law.

ICO takes enforcement action against Experian after data broking investigation

27 October 2020, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) orders the credit reference agency Experian Limited to make fundamental changes to how it handles people’s personal data within its direct marketing services.

Blog: Simplifying subject access requests – new detailed SARs guidance

21 October 2020, Blog

The right of access is a fundamental data right under data protection law. And it has never been more necessary.

ICO fines British Airways £20m for data breach affecting more than 400,000 customers

16 October 2020, News

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined British Airways (BA) £20m for failing to protect the personal and financial details of more than 400,000 of its customers.

Engagement key in protecting people’s privacy across the UK during the pandemic

13 October 2020, Blog

Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham highlights the positive results of the ICO’s engagement with the UK devolved administrations on the use of data in the fight against COVID-19.

Keynote at PDP’s 19th annual data protection conference

08 October 2020, Speech

Elizabeth Denham spoke about data protection during a pandemic, in a speech delivered by video.

ICO takes action against company for sending spam emails selling face masks during pandemic

08 October 2020, News

A company that sent spam emails selling face masks during the pandemic has been fined £40,000 by the ICO and issued with an enforcement notice.

Statement on the outcome of the ICO’s compulsory audit of the Department for Education

07 October 2020, Statement

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has published the outcome of a compulsory audit of the Department for Education DFE carried out in February 2020.

Blog: the conclusion of the ICO’s investigation into the use of personal data in political campaigning

06 October 2020, Blog

There can be few cases that better illustrate how mainstream data protection has become than the ICO’s investigation into the use of personal data in political campaigning, including by the now defunct Cambridge Analytica.

ICO launches consultation on draft Statutory guidance

01 October 2020, News

The ICO has launched a public consultation on its draft Statutory guidance, which details how it will regulate and enforce data protection legislation in the UK.