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About this guidance

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This guidance aims to help you if you want to complain about how a media organisation has treated you. It includes information on

when you can complain to the ICO, and how to make a complaint
the other organisations you can complain to, when you can complain to them and how to complain to them, and
how to make a legal claim against a media organisation.

Contents

Terms used in this guidance	Who can I complain to if I have a concern about a media organisation?
Data protection law Personal data The special purposes Media organisation Publisher Broadcaster	I want to complain about the way a media organisation has handled my personal data I want compensation or to take action through the courts I want to complain about the BBC I want to complain about a programme broadcast on TV, radio or a video-on-demand service I want to complain about a member of IPSO I want to complain about a member of IMPRESS
Complaining to the ICO about a media organisation	Complaining to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO)
What can I complain to the ICO about? How do I raise my concern with the ICO? What will the ICO do with my complaint? Do media organisations always have to comply with every aspect of data protection law? What powers of enforcement does the ICO have?	What is IPSO? When can I complain to IPSO? How do I raise my concern with IPSO?
Complaining to the Independent Monitor for the Press (IMPRESS)	Complaining about a media organisation that is not a member of IPSO or IMPRESS
What is IMPRESS? When can I complain to IMPRESS? How do I raise my concern with IMPRESS?	Complaining to the Guardian Complaining to the Financial Times Complaining to the Independent
Complaining about the the BBC	Complaining to Ofcom
What can I complain to the BBC about? What are the BBC Editorial Guidelines? Do I always need to complain directly to the BBC before complaining to Ofcom? How can I raise my concern with the BBC? What can I do if I disagree with the BBC’s decision about my complaint?	What is Ofcom? What can I complain to Ofcom about? How do I raise my concern with Ofcom about non-BBC content? When can I complain to Ofcom about the BBC? How do I raise my concern with Ofcom about the BBC?
Taking your case to court and claiming compensation	Asking someone to act on your behalf
Do I have to go to court to get compensation for a breach of data protection law? What do I need to do before I take a claim to court? How do I take my case to court if I cannot reach an agreement? How much compensation will the court award me if my claim is successful? Can the Information Commissioner help me with my court case? Can a media organisation stop any legal proceedings I bring? Are there any alternatives to taking my case to court? IPSO arbitration scheme IMPRESS arbitration scheme	Who can make a complaint to the ICO on my behalf? Can I ask someone to deal with an organisation on my behalf? Can I appoint a representative to help me take my case to court?