Data gathered and used during COVID-19
“For the public health benefits to be realised from these new measures it is important people feel able to share their personal data with confidence. So people can have this trust and confidence in the way their personal data will be kept safe and used properly as they prepare to return to their favourite pubs, restaurants and local businesses, we want to help businesses to get things right first time as they adapt to new ways of working.”
Paul Arnold, Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer at the Information Commissioner’s Office, speaking during the pandemic.
The coronavirus pandemic forced us to adjust to a new way of life in the early months of 2020, and privacy was at the centre of many discussions.
When cafes and restaurants needed to keep records of customers visiting their premises, people asked questions about how that information would be used and kept safe.
When offices had to adapt to working remotely, people asked how politicians would be held to account if important discussions on WhatsApp weren’t properly recorded.
And when supermarkets wanted to prioritise delivery slots for people in vulnerable situations, councils asked how they could share information on people in their communities in a sensible way.
The conversations showed that people had clear expectations around privacy and how their information was used. The Information Commissioner’s Office was at the centre of these discussions, advising businesses, calling for a government review into use of WhatsApp and encouraging data sharing to support people.