News
2024-07-23 - ICO News Essex school reprimanded after using facial recognition technology for canteen payments
We have issued a reprimand to a school that broke the law when it introduced facial recognition technology (FRT).
2024-07-15 - ICO News Information Commissioner calls for water companies to be crystal clear with public over sewage pollution
Water companies must put transparency first if they want to rebuild public trust, we have warned.
2024-07-09 - ICO News Do I really need to read the privacy notice?
At the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), we are encouraging people to check how an app plans to use their personal information before they sign up.
2024-07-08 - ICO News DPPC 2024
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) will hold its annual Data Protection Practitioners' Conference (DPPC) online on Tuesday 8 October.
2024-05-23 - ICO News PSNI facing a £750k fine following spreadsheet error that exposed the personal information of its entire workforce
Data breach brought tangible fear of threat to life
2024-05-21 - ICO News We warn organisations must not ignore data protection risks as we conclude Snap ‘My AI’ chatbot investigation
ICO concludes investigation into Snap’s approach to assessing the data protection risks of its ‘My AI’ chatbot
2024-05-16 - ICO News Car rental manager fined after unlawfully obtaining customer data
A former Management Trainee at Enterprise Rent-A-Car UK Limited ("Enterprise Rent-A-Car") has been ordered to pay a fine after admitting he illegally obtained customer data between 18 March 2019 and 1 April 2019.
2024-05-13 - ICO News Children’s services in Birmingham reprimanded after inappropriately disclosing a child’s personal information
We have issued a reprimand to Birmingham Children's Trust Community Interest Company after the personal information of a child was inappropriately disclosed to another family.
2024-05-10 - ICO News Organisations must do more to combat the growing threat of cyber attacks
We are calling for all organisations to boost their cyber security and protect the personal information they hold, amid the growing threat of cyber attacks.
Our own trend data reveals…
2024-05-03 - ICO News Registration opens for ICO annual conference
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) will hold its annual Data Protection Practitioners' Conference (DPPC) online on Tuesday 8 October.
2024-04-30 - ICO News Information Commissioner: Persistent sensitive information breaches failing people living with HIV
People living with HIV denied “basic dignity and privacy” by repeated data breaches that disclose their HIV status
2024-04-24 - ICO News ICO fines two companies a total of £340,000 for making aggressive and unwanted marketing calls
Almost 1.43 million calls made over a 13-month period.
2024-04-24 - ICO News ICO yn dirwyo dau gwmni cyfanswm o £340,000 am wneud galwadau marchnata ymosodol a digroeso
Bron 1.43 miliwn o alwadau wedi’u gwneud dros gyfnod o 13 mis
2024-04-17 - ICO News Housing association reprimanded for exposing personal information on online portal
We have issued a reprimand to Clyde Valley Housing Association in Lanarkshire after personal information was accessible to other residents on an online customer portal.
2024-04-15 - ICO News ICO publishes guidance to improve transparency in health and social care
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is supporting health and social care organisations to ensure they are being transparent with people about how their personal information is being used.
2024-04-12 - ICO News Information Commissioner’s Office seeks views on accuracy of generative AI models
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has launched the latest instalment in its consultation series examining how data protection law applies to the development and use of generative AI.
2024-04-04 - ICO News ICO joins global data protection and privacy enforcement programme
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has signed onto a new international multilateral agreement with the Global Cooperation Arrangement for Privacy Enforcement (Global CAPE) to cooperate in cross-border data protection and privacy enforcement.
2024-04-03 - ICO News ICO sets out priorities to protect children's privacy online
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is calling on social media and video-sharing platforms to improve their data protection practices so children are safer when using their services. This comes as the regulator sets out its 2024-2025 priorities for protecting children's personal information online.
2024-03-18 - ICO News ICO publishes new fining guidance
The Information Commissioner’s Office has published new data protection fining guidance setting out how it decides to issue penalties and calculate fines.
2024-03-15 - ICO News ICO reprimands Dover Harbour Board and Kent Police over information sharing
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has issued reprimands to Dover Harbour Board and Kent Police after they breached data protection law.
2024-03-14 - ICO News ICO reprimands London Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime for complaint web form error
Web form to complain about the Metropolitan Police Service accidentally revealed victims' data
2024-03-07 - ICO News ICO fines Wigan-based Pinnacle Life £80,000 for “predatory” spam call campaign
Wigan-based company Pinnacle Life has been fined £80,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for a year-long unlawful spam phone call campaign.
2024-03-04 - ICO News Information Commissioner calls for senior leaders to take transparency seriously
Today, as my office takes further regulatory action against five public organisations for their continued failings to meet their obligations under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, I am writing to remind you that transparency is essential if the people and communities we serve are to have confidence in the way that public services are delivered.
2024-03-04 - ICO News ICO warns charities about direct marketing rules as it orders Penny Appeal to stop sending spam texts
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has ordered a charity to stop sending unsolicited marketing texts to people without their consent, as it reminds all charities of their legal obligations.
2024-03-04 - ICO News Y Comisiynydd Gwybodaeth yn galw ar uwch arweinwyr i gymryd tryloywder o ddifrif
Heddiw, wrth i'm swyddfa gymryd camau rheoleiddio pellach yn erbyn pedwar sefydliad cyhoeddus am eu methiannau parhaus i gyflawni eu rhwymedigaethau o dan y Ddeddf Rhyddid Gwybodaeth, rwy’n ysgrifennu atoch i'ch atgoffa bod tryloywder yn hanfodol os yw'r bobl a'r cymunedau rydyn ni’n eu gwasanaethu i fod yn hyderus yn y ffordd y mae gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yn cael eu darparu.
2024-03-04 - ICO News ICO takes regulatory action against five public authorities under the FOI Act
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has taken action against five public authorities for continued failings to meet their obligations under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.
2024-03-01 - ICO News ICO reprimands West Midlands Police for data protection failure
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has issued a reprimand to West Midlands Police (WMP) after the force repeatedly mixed up two people’s personal information.
2024-03-01 - ICO News ICO reassures employers they can share staff data in a mental health emergency
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has published new guidance to give employers more certainty about sharing their workers’ personal details in a mental health emergency.
2024-03-01 - ICO News ICO finds the Home Office’s pilot of GPS electronic monitoring of migrants breached UK data protection law
Home Office pilot scheme failed to assess privacy intrusion of GPS monitoring.
2024-02-29 - ICO News ICO and Federal Communications Commission sign Memorandum of Understanding
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which formalises their commitment to work together to protect people from unwanted nuisance calls, spam messaging and the misuse of private and sensitive data.
2024-02-28 - ICO News ICO calls for people to share experiences accessing care records as it vows to improve support
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is calling on people with experience of the care system in the UK to share the challenges they have faced when accessing their care records from organisations.
2024-02-28 - ICO News Yr ICO yn galw ar bobl i rannu profiadau wrth gael mynediad at gofnodion gofal, gan addo gwella’r cymorth
Mae Swyddfa'r Comisiynydd Gwybodaeth (ICO) yn galw ar bobl sydd â phrofiad o'r system ofal yn y Deyrnas Unedig i rannu'r heriau maen nhw wedi'u hwynebu wrth gael mynediad at eu cofnodion gofal gan sefydliadau.
2024-02-23 - ICO News ICO orders Serco Leisure to stop using facial recognition technology to monitor attendance of leisure centre employees
Regulator issues enforcement notices ordering Serco Leisure and community leisure trusts to stop using FRT and fingerprint scanning to monitor workers’ attendance
2024-02-16 - ICO News Information Commissioner’s Office tells platforms to respect information rights when moderating online content
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is working to support people's information rights online by ensuring organisations understand their data protection obligations when seeking to make…
2024-02-14 - ICO News Practical tips for small beauty and wellbeing businesses this Valentine’s Day
Show your customers you care – about their information rights – this Valentine’s Day.
2024-02-08 - ICO News ICO urges all app developers to prioritise privacy
The Information Commissioner’s Office is reminding all app developers to ensure they protect users’ privacy, following the regulator’s review of period and fertility apps.
2024-01-29 - ICO News New ICO campaign promotes sharing data to safeguard children
The Information Commissioner’s Office is partnering with education, law enforcement and social service organisations to raise awareness about responsible data sharing to protect children from harm.
2024-01-19 - ICO News ICO fines financial services company £50k for spam text messages
Financial services company LADH Limited has been fined £50,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for sending tens of thousands of spam text messages, in breach of Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).
2024-01-18 - ICO News ICO publishes updated Commissioner’s Opinion on age assurance for the Children’s code
New Opinion gives clarity to organisations on how to comply with age assurance
2024-01-16 - ICO News Two home improvement companies fined a total of £250,000 for making illegal marketing calls
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined two home improvement companies a total of £250,000 for bombarding people on the UK’s ‘do not call’ register with millions of unlawful marketing calls.
2024-01-15 - ICO News Information Commissioner’s Office launches consultation series on generative AI
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has launched a consultation series on generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), examining how aspects of data protection law should apply to the development and use of the technology.
2024-01-12 - ICO News ICO fines HelloFresh £140,000 for spam texts and emails
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined food delivery company HelloFresh £140,000 for a campaign of 79 million spam emails and 1 million spam texts over a seven-month period.
2023-12-30 - ICO News Information Commissioner’s Office MBE awards in the King’s New Year Honours List
ICO Deputy Chief Executive, Paul Arnold and Senior Independent Director, Nicola Wood have been awarded MBEs in the King’s New Year Honours List.
Paul Arnold receives his award for services to…
2023-12-20 - ICO News “We are not seeing the improvement both we and the public need” – ICO issues enforcement notice to GMP over transparency failures
Enforcement notice issued to Greater Manchester Police over failure to clear Freedom of Information backlog
2023-12-20 - ICO News “We are not seeing the improvement both we and the public need” – ICO issues enforcement notice to GMP over transparency failures
Enforcement notice issued to Greater Manchester Police over failure to clear Freedom of Information backlog
2023-12-15 - ICO News Bank of Ireland UK reprimanded for inaccurate data on customers’ accounts
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has issued Bank of Ireland UK with a reprimand for mistakes made on more than 3,000 customers’ credit profiles.
2023-12-13 - ICO News ICO fines Ministry of Defence for Afghan evacuation data breach
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined the Ministry of Defence (MoD) £350,000 for disclosing personal information of people seeking relocation to the UK shortly after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021.
2023-12-12 - ICO News Two new employment guidance pieces out for consultation
We are producing an online resource with topic-specific guidance on employment practices and data protection. We are releasing our drafts of the different topic areas in stages and adding to the resource over time, and two new pieces of guidance are now out for public consultation.
2023-12-11 - ICO News Court of Appeal ruling on immigration exemption brings ‘greater empathy’ - Commissioner
The Court of Appeal has ruled that the government must make changes to the immigration exemption in the Data Protection Act 2018 to make it clearer.
2023-12-06 - ICO News UK Information Commissioner warns against 2024 becoming the year people lose trust in AI
UK Information Commissioner, John Edwards, will today warn that 2024 could be the year people lose trust in AI – and call on tech developers to embed privacy into their products from the very start.