Information Commissioner's Office

🎉 The moment you’ve been waiting for #DPPC24 registration is now open 🎉 https://lnkd.in/eAAgF5aq Tuesday 8 October promises to bring you inspiring keynote speakers, practical workshops run by our expert staff and thought-provoking panels. So whether you’re a first time delegate or a seasoned DPPC-er, we can’t wait for you to join us at our free, virtual information rights conference. Grab your ticket today: https://lnkd.in/eAAgF5aq

NEW: Kestrix has joined our Sandbox. An innovative small business using mass thermal image capture and AI to reduce heat loss from buildings, leading to more energy-efficient houses in the future. Kestrix are joining our Sandbox to navigate the complexities of privacy and data protection compliance when using drones. Their work involves drones using thermal imagery at neighbourhood level, inevitably capturing human activity and personal information. If done right, Kestrix’s approach can be scaled up, allowing entire cities to be mapped for heat loss data. Housing providers can then retrofit buildings to be more heat-efficient. The Sandbox will help stress-test solutions to privacy and compliance-related issues, utilising our expert staff and offering ways to consider data protection compliance from the start of a project. Find out more about our current Sandbox campaigns here: https://lnkd.in/e8hZUZmV

🆕 Data protection and online safety go hand in hand 🤝 Our new joint statement with Ofcom outlines new ways we are working together to protect people online. We published our original joint statement in 2022 setting out our shared vision for a clear and coherent regulatory landscape for online services, ensuring compliance with both our regimes: https://lnkd.in/eJVCqA5b This latest statement builds upon that vision by setting out several areas of enhanced collaboration, including: - Identifying issues of common interest and relevance to both regulators, - Identifying where we are supervising the same services or considering issues related to the same services, - Using regular staff meetings to share information in relation to collaborative themes and companies of mutual interest, where appropriate. Read the joint statement in full: https://lnkd.in/gzsiXmKy

🆕 People living with HIV are being denied “basic dignity and privacy” by repeated data breaches that disclose their HIV status. John Edwards, Information Commissioner has condemned data protection standards at health services for people living with HIV and called for urgent improvements. Over the past few decades there have been remarkable advances in treatment and support for those living with HIV, but for people to be able to confidently use that support, they must be able to trust that when they share their personal information, it is being protected. Data breaches shatter that and expose people to stigma and prejudice from wider society. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eAHTBrxk The Central YMCA case is a perfect example of how a simple data protection mistake can have huge consequences and harm for people living with HIV. We’ve fined Central YMCA £7,500 for accidentally using the CC function instead of the BCC function. This mistake revealed the email addresses of 166 people invited to a nutrition event for people living with HIV. We want to see change. And so we’re working with HIV charities to improve support offered to people living with HIV on how their sensitive information is handled. Read more about this case and our action: https://lnkd.in/eSCF3iP2

🏥 How GPs can be open and transparent about their use of data with their patients. Health and social care organisations often deal with highly personal and sensitive data. If you work in this sectors, it's crucial that your transparency measures align with how you use personal information and the associated risks to patients, service users, and the public. Our latest transparency guidance offers clear regulatory direction on how to keep patients and service users well-informed. This could include providing: 🩺 Diagrams or case studies to explain exactly how the data will be used 🩺 Lists of information disclosed to researchers and the reasoning behind this 🩺 information that challenges or proactively deals with contentious issues, for example when addressing misconceptions relating to third-party access to sensitive health information. 🩺 Information in accessible formats, such as large print or braille for people who are visually impaired or non-digital forms for those who may be digitally excluded. Transparent handling of personal information fosters public trust and confidence, making people more willing to share their sensitive data, knowing they're informed about its use. For the complete guidance, please see: https://lnkd.in/e2XzZzXa

Public authorities frequently need to consult internally on how to handle requests under the FOIA and EIR. There may be cases that are complex or involve sensitive information, that may require a higher level of sign-off but you only have 20 working days to reply. Read on to find out how to minimise delays. Seeking multiple layers of sign-off is not a reasonable excuse for failing to comply with the statutory timescales. So, you should put measures in place to ensure that you manage any of these processes to meet the deadline. Our guide contains key steps and actions you could take to minimise any sign-off delays: https://lnkd.in/eWgFWXcT

As an organisation responding to freedom of information (FOI) requests, you may be using Section 43 - Commercial interests as an FOI request exemption. Read on to find out if you’re using correctly. To find out you can, use our FOI self-assessment tool: https://lnkd.in/e7Wizq2f By completing the modules you’ll get a roadmap to help you assess your current status. To work out how to upgrade it we’ll take you through the general considerations, how you’re applying it and then look at other aspects to take into account, such as personal information. We also have more guidance on Section 43: https://lnkd.in/e9SFFAWa

We’re working with the Competition and Markets Authority on its investigation into Google’s proposed browser changes.   The CMA has published its latest update report on how Google is implementing its Privacy Sandbox commitments.   The report incorporates our preliminary assessment on the privacy and data protection impacts of the Privacy Sandbox.   We will continue to work with the CMA as Google resolves the remaining competition concerns before going ahead with third-party cookie deprecation.   Read the report for more: https://lnkd.in/d-rXxiyD.

"It’s been a heck of a year." Warren Seddon, Director of Freedom of Information and Transparency, has been taking stock of the past year - here's how the numbers add up 👇 ✅ 8,000 complaints – against a previous high of 6,418 in 2018/19. Of around 7,700 cases we’ve closed in this period, 96% have been resolved in less than six months. ✅ Eight enforcement notices over the last 12 months, which have addressed backlogs affecting over 3,000 information requests. ✅ 146 statutory decisions, upholding the public authority in 88 cases while finding against them in some, or all, aspects of the case in 58 cases. We want to work with public authorities to understand performance across the public sector, engaging where possible, taking action when we have to. We know the pressure we face is also replicated in the volume of requests many public authorities are receiving, and it’s important to acknowledge the huge efforts they are putting in to support people’s rights, including responding to us on complaints. That's why we're working hard on the upstream tools and guidance we offer: https://lnkd.in/eWJx9852 What do you think of our resources, and what else you would like? Let us know by taking part in our survey: https://lnkd.in/esbebyV7 The survey closes on 16 May 2024.

🎟️ Registration to our free content moderation webinar is closing shortly! Content moderation systems involve processing people’s personal information at each stage of the workflow. Our guidance outlines how content moderation processes can be data-protection compliant. The webinar will be diving into the guidance and providing insight into how organisations can ensure their processes comply with the law. Sign up to our free webinar to support organisations using or developing content moderation processes: https://lnkd.in/eKVHjp7b The webinar is on Tuesday 30 April, starting at 14.00 (BST).