UK Data Watchdog is looking for an entry
Rarely does a regulator ask stakeholders and consumers for advice on how it monitors and enforces.
But that’s exactly what the Office of the Information Commissioner (ICO) does. The UK Independent Authority was founded to defend information rights in the public interest, promote transparency of government agencies and privacy of data for consumers.
Under the terms of the outreach, the public will have until March 24 to make recommendations on the agency’s direction and focus on the organizations it regulates.
The ICO’s Regulatory Action Policy (RAP) is designed to update policy and establish direction for the regulator. It aims to strengthen the agency’s commitment to a balanced and risk-based approach to enforcement and to explain the elements taken into account before taking regulatory action. They can include fines, stop treatment orders or mandatory audits.
It also explains how the ICO promotes best practices and ensures compliance as well as how it works with other regulators. The RAP covers 11 pieces of legislation for which the ICO is responsible, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Data Privacy Act which governs the processing of individuals’ personal data, the Act on Data Protection 2018, the Freedom of Information Act and the Regulation on Confidentiality and Electronic Communications.
The public is invited to provide advice on the statutory direction of its regulatory action. It governs how the ICO uses its statutory powers to enforce data protection legislation relating to electronic communications such as nuisance calls, emails and text messages. The guidance focuses on the powers of the ICO to impose fines for data protection.
“Information rights have never been more important or impactful,” James Dipple-Johnstone, chief regulatory officer, said in a statement. “We are focused on promoting best practices and compliance, but, where necessary, we will take a fair and proportionate approach to enforcement actions. “
More information on the documents and how to provide feedback can be found here.
——————————
NEW PYMNTS DATA: AUTHENTICATION OF IDENTITIES IN THE DIGITAL ECONOMY – DECEMBER 2021
On:More than half of American consumers think biometric authentication methods are faster, more convenient, and more reliable than passwords or PINs, so why are less than 10% using them? PYMNTS, working with Mitek, surveyed more than 2,200 consumers to better define this perception gap from usage and identify ways in which businesses can increase usage.