Crime in our capital city will stay high unless confidence in the Met is restored June 10, 2022 London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan warned this week that the cost-of-living crisis may lead to an increase in violent crime in the capital. Policing – like every other twenty-first century public service – is replete with numbers that measure performance. The number of police officers working on the frontline; how long it takes for the police [...]
Data watchdog warns pub goers to think before giving details to ordering apps August 18, 2021 Pub goers should be cautious when giving personal information to venues, according to the UK’s data privacy watchdog. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has warned Brits to consider what information they are providing when using apps to order food and drink at pubs. Pubs should only ask customers for information that is “relevant and necessary”, [...]
Privacy laws and blockchain December 9, 2020 The very nature of Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) raises some interesting issues around privacy laws and their application to DLT. It is important for industry participants to understand this important area of law and its application to their business. Blockchain is a technology that enables the secure validation, recording, and sharing of data. The data [...]
Contact tracing is a legal minefield for businesses July 17, 2020 In the age of Big Data, where the always-on digital assistant and ever more intrusive geo-tracking technology reign, it is perhaps inevitable that our efforts to control Covid-19 seem to depend on developing technology to monitor individuals’ movements. Every wave of innovation that has birthed these technologies has brought with it fresh regulatory concern. The [...]
ICO chief warns of the data protection dangers in live facial recognition tech June 18, 2021 The UK’s data protection watchdog has warned of the risks in the use of live facial recognition in public places today, because of its “supercharged CCTV” capabilities. The Information Commissioner’s Office information commissioner Elizabeth Denham explained in a blog post published today of her worries over the increasingly common technology. “I am deeply concerned about [...]
Cabinet Office slapped with £500k fine after New Year Honours list data leak December 2, 2021 The Cabinet Office has been fined £500,000 by the data protection watchdog after it leaked the addresses of prominent Brits on the 2020 New Year Honours list. Big names to have their home addresses published on the government website included Elton John, TV chef Nadiya Hussain and NHS England’s then chief executive, Simon Stevens. A [...]
Met chief Cressida Dick confirms police will investigate Downing Street parties January 25, 2022 The Metropolitan Police is to investigate allegations of lockdown rule-breaking parties at Downing Street. Scotland Yard’s commissioner Dame Cressida Dick told members of the London Assembly that police will probe claims of parties held at Number 10. It comes after the police force has previously stated it would not investigate retrospective reports of breaches. Police [...]
Financial Conduct Authority admits major data breach February 25, 2020 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has admitted that it revealed confidential consumer information on its website in a data breach last year. The City watchdog published details of roughly 1,600 people who filed complaints about it between January 2018 and July 2019. In some instances the information included names, addresses and telephone numbers. The FCA [...]
Test and trace programme breaks GDPR laws, government admits July 20, 2020 The NHS Test and Trace scheme that collects contact details of those who have been in close proximity to Covid-19 breaks data protection laws, the Department for Health and Social Care has admitted. Campaigners from the Open Rights Group (ORG) earlier this month threatened legal action against the department over claims the NHS programme has [...]
Some of Sue Gray report into Number 10 parties scandal could still be released this week January 25, 2022 The Sue Gray report into the Downing street parties scandal may still be partially released in the coming days, despite the newly launched police investigation. A Number 10 spokesperson said the Metropolitan Police will not investigate all allegations of Covid rule-breaking in Downing Street and Whitehall – only those parties that “reach their threshold” needed [...]