Category: data protection

Flushing out Wrongdoing: the DPA and the Publication of Allegations about Toilets – Panopticon

Posted July 3rd, 2017 in data protection, judicial review, local government, news by sally

‘Local government is an exciting place. And because it is an exciting place, filled with thrusting go-getting types who live on the edge of danger, there is the risk of occasional accusations of wrongdoing. Councillor Hussain, a Labour member, of that parish is the subject of serious allegations – which have not yet been determined – to whit that he procured the sale of some toilets to a person connected to him at an undervalue and that he expunged some parking tickets issued to family members.’

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Panopticon, 30th June 2017

Source: panopticonblog.com

Review of NHS correspondence backlog finds 1,788 cases of potential harm – Local Government Lawyer

Posted June 29th, 2017 in data protection, health, news, privacy, reports by sally

‘A review of how NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) handled a huge backlog of unprocessed clinical correspondence has found 1,788 cases of potential harm to patients, the National Audit Office has said.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 27th June 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ladbrokes could face inquiry after betting addicts’ details found in bin bag – The Guardian

Posted June 28th, 2017 in data protection, gambling, news by sally

‘Ladbrokes could face an investigation from the gambling regulator over an incident in which confidential information about betting addicts, including photos, names and addresses, was found in a bin bag on the street.’

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The Guardian, 27th June 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Jeremy Hunt and NHS ‘delayed telling patients’ about mislaid confidential documents after private firm blunder – The Independent

Posted June 27th, 2017 in data protection, health, ministers' powers and duties, news, privacy, reports by sally

‘Jeremy Hunt has been accused of leaving Parliament and patients in the dark after hundreds of thousands of pieces of confidential medical correspondence was discovered “languishing in a warehouse”. At least 1,700 patients may have been harmed by the major blunder, according to a new report into the incident from the National Audit Office (NAO).’

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The Independent, 27th June 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Solicitor who took client data to new firm without consent rebuked and fined – Legal Futures

Posted June 26th, 2017 in administrators, confidentiality, consent, data protection, fines, law firms, London, news, professional conduct, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘A London solicitor who took confidential information from defunct London firm Davenport Lyons (DL) to his new employer without client consent has been rebuked and fined £2,000 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).’

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Legal Futures, 26th June 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Council appeals £150k fine imposed over publication of sensitive data – Local Government Lawyer

Posted June 21st, 2017 in appeals, data protection, documents, fines, human rights, internet, local government, misuse of private information, news, planning, privacy, statutory duty, travellers by sally

‘Basildon Council has confirmed it is to appeal the imposition by the Information Commissioner of a £150,000 monetary penalty for publishing sensitive personal information about a family in planning application documents that were made publicly available online.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th June 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Subject access requests: revised guidance from the ICO – Panopticon

Posted June 21st, 2017 in codes of practice, data protection, freedom of information, news by sally

‘As Panopticon devotees will know, the early months of 2017 brought a flurry of judgments about subject access requests – most importantly, in the Dawson-Damer and Ittihadieh/Deer cases. The principles from those judgments have now been incorporated into a revised ICO Code of Practice on subject access requests, published last week. The revised Code is important not only because it reflects up-to-date caselaw, but also because it tells us how the ICO expects to see subject access requests dealt with in practice.’

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Panopticon, 20th June 2017

Source: panopticonblog.com

EU seeks to outlaw ‘backdoors’ in new data privacy proposals – The Guardian

Posted June 20th, 2017 in data protection, EC law, encryption, news, privacy, reports by sally

‘The European Union is considering banning the implementation of so-called “backdoors” that allow the reading of encrypted messaging, a move that would place it in conflict with the UK government’s desire to have access to all secure communications.’

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The Guardian, 19th June 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

The Highs and Lows of the UK’s Business and Human Rights Laws – Rightsinfo

Posted June 16th, 2017 in company law, data protection, equality, human rights, news, trafficking in human beings, United Nations by sally

‘Today marks 6 years since the UN Human Rights Council adopted the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. To celebrate, we are looking at three fantastic things the UK has done to ensure that businesses respect human rights, and two areas where it could vastly improve.’

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Rightsinfo, 16th June 2017

Source: rightsinfo.org

Data protection fine shows security risks from using open source software cannot be ignored, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 15th, 2017 in computer programs, data protection, fines, local government, news by sally

‘A six-figure fine issued to a local authority in England for a breach of UK data protection laws should serve as a reminder to all organisations of their need to manage the security risks inherent in using ‘open source’ software, an expert has said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 15th June 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

Council hit with £100k fine after cyber attack during IT outsourcing – Local Government Lawyer

Posted June 13th, 2017 in appeals, contracting out, data protection, employment, fines, local government, news by sally

‘A city council has been hit with a £100,000 monetary penalty after leaving employees’ personal information vulnerable to a cyber attacker who exploited a flaw in the authority’s website.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 12th June 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Range of factors behind fall in number of defamation cases, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 8th, 2017 in data protection, defamation, media, news, statistics by sally

‘A change in the law that makes it more challenging to prove defamation in England and Wales is just one reason why the number of defamation cases brought in the UK fell last year, according to a media law expert.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 7th June 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

Planning law does not trump rights to privacy, says watchdog – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 2nd, 2017 in data protection, news, planning, privacy by sally

‘Local authorities processing planning applications cannot ignore their responsibilities under data protection law, the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has warned.’

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OUT-LAW.com,1st June 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

Council fined £150k for publishing sensitive data in online planning documents – Local Government Lawyer

Posted June 1st, 2017 in data protection, fines, internet, local government, news, planning, privacy, travellers by sally

‘Basildon Borough Council has been fined £150,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for publishing sensitive personal information about a family in planning application documents that were made publicly available online.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 31st May 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Firms warned to prepare for tougher EU data protection rules – BBC News

Posted June 1st, 2017 in data protection, EC law, fines, news by sally

‘Companies must prepare for new tougher EU rules on data protection, or face big fines, PwC has warned.’

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BBC News, 1st June 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

GP surgery administrator fined for illegally accessing patient records – Local Government Lawyer

Posted May 17th, 2017 in data protection, fines, guilty pleas, medical records, news by sally

‘A former NHS administrator has been ordered to pay nearly £800 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to unlawfully accessing patient records.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 17th May 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Self-reporting of data breaches in the UK on the rise, where risk of fine is below 1% – OUT-LAW.com

Posted May 16th, 2017 in data protection, fines, health, news, telecommunications by sally

‘Organisations face being fined in less than 1% of data breach cases self-reported to the UK’s data protection watchdog, according to new figures.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 15th May 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

Short Cuts – London Review of Books

Posted May 12th, 2017 in agreements, brexit, criminal justice, data protection, EC law, international law, news, privacy, references to European Court, terrorism prevention & investigation measures, warrants by sally

‘After Brexit, the public face of criminal justice will look much the same as it does now. The UK has resisted many of the European Union’s moves towards harmonisation of substantive criminal law and procedure, and it is unlikely to use its new-found freedom from the restraints of EU law to decriminalise things like child pornography, cybercrime and people trafficking. The EU’s greatest impact on criminal justice has been through the multiple agreements and instruments that facilitate the detection, investigation and prosecution of such crimes as terrorism, people trafficking, child pornography, drug-smuggling, cybercrime and fraud across the EU. The best known of these is the European Arrest Warrant (EAW), implemented in 2004.’

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London Review of Books, 18th May 2017

Source: www.lrb.co.uk

General Data Protection Regulation (GPDR) Series, Part 1 – introduction and overview – Technology Law Update

Posted May 10th, 2017 in data protection, EC law, news, regulations by sally

‘The General Data Protection Regulation (GPDR) (EU) 2016/679 of 27 April 2016 which comes into force in May 2018, will introduce major changes to the law on the processing of personal data in the European Union. Over the next ten months, several European Union and United States law firms we work very closely with will join us in providing you with more information on the GDPR. Different themes will be tackled month by month to help you prepare for the GDPR deadline.’

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Technology Law Update, 8th May 2017

Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk

Implementing the GDPR in the UK: lessons from Germany? – Panopticon

Posted May 10th, 2017 in data protection, EC law, foreign jurisdictions, news, regulations by sally

‘As we all know, the GDPR is all about the harmonisation of data protection across Europe – hence its form as a regulation (directly effective) rather than a directive (domestic implementing legislation needed). Yes, but: the GDPR leaves an awful lot to member states to implement. For example: exemptions to data subjects’ rights, mechanisms for reconciling data protection and freedom of expression, and the machinery of enforcement by supervisory authorities. Until we have domestic implementing legislation, we can’t fully understand how data protection will work after 25 May 2018.’

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Panopticon, 9th May 2017

Source: www.panopticonblog.com