back to article ICO to focus on reducing risk, not enforcement

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has said that its aim is to protect people from the risks associated with abuses of their personal data rather than strictly enforce the law. It has announced its broad aims in a new strategy document (pdf). The document will guide its activities overall, prioritising the use of its …

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  1. dervheid
    Black Helicopters

    Contradictions?

    "We are not seeking compliance with the law as an end in itself,"

    "submitted a proposal to Government in January of this year asking for a new offence to be created of recklessly or knowingly breaching data protection principles, which would be punishable by unlimited fines"

    Or just more BS

  2. amanfromMars Silver badge
    Alien

    Sounds rather more like enforcement than risk reduction though.

    "He also asked for the power to put an immediate stop to data processing by any organisation that he thought was "seriously unlawful".".

    Hmmm? For a Muse, I wonder who would be sitting under that spotlight?

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Can but dream

    "He also asked for the power to put an immediate stop to data processing by any organisation that he thought was "seriously unlawful""

    In breaking news, the British government has been closed down by the Information Commissioner for repeated abuses of information technology, and is not expected to reopen. Reports that the Home Secretary is being dragged by members of Liberty to a small, portable gallows erected on Tower Hill cannot yet be confirmed.

  4. amanfromMars Silver badge
    Alien

    Mutual Advanced IntelAIgents ......Mass AI?

    Parallel Thinking, dervheid?

    And only Delve into Mass Technology and Innovation if you Think IT Apposite and Involved. ...... Press Ganged into Universal Service to Servers.

  5. Man Outraged
    Paris Hilton

    So who is responsible for enforcement?

    Data Protection issues and related technologies and processing methods are beyond the grasp of most business owners, never mind the man on the street. So if the ICO are not focussing on enforcement, who is? Who's looking out for the little guy who may be having his data illegally "pimped"?

    Whilst I agre totally about the statement of reducing risk, the bit about NOT foccussin on enforcement makes the law reactive whereby companies only get punished when something goes wrong, because the only way I'm going to find out my data's been abused is possibly after a fraud is committed.

    With that in mind, does it look like the ICO will see systems like Phorm's risky? I really hope the people at the ICO understand software.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Black Helicopters

    Fat brown envelopes?

    Of course, the decision to actually bother to enforce the law wouldnt have anything to do with the size of the backhander or the political favours done by the guilty party, would it?

    Not under our current squaky-clean corruption free government, surely....

  7. Mr Anonymous

    Phucked as far as Phorm goes then.

    We're Phucked as far as Phorm goes then, looks like they won't stop it going a head as they won't enforce the law. Maybe they should get an MP to buy them some fixadent on expenses so they could try and fit a sharper set of teeth.

    Next they may help you avoid personal data loss by telling you not to go online!

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Unhappy

    Why bother with laws anyway

    So if you go to the police they say they're "sure higher bodies are dealing with this":

    http://badphorm.co.uk/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?1597

    and if you go to ICO they're not interested in enforcing the law.

    So that's OK then, isn't it. Obeying the law is clearly optional.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The rot festers on...

    More evidence, as if any were needed, of the unwillingness of public authorities to engage in enforcement.

    Just been mugged? here's a pamphlet for the mugger to read.

    Concerned about the activities of government departments? Join a local discussion about it.

    Toxic waste dumping in your neighbourhood? Fill in a questionnaire about your feelings.

    Your government loves you. They'll do anything for you. As long as they don't actually have to do anything for you.

  10. Jonathan
    Thumb Down

    Good Phorm?

    "We are not seeking compliance with the law as an end in itself,"

    Translation - you dont have to comply with the law if you bribe us.

    "we will need to devote proportionately more of our policy work to developments in the public sector than to developments in the private sector"

    So they arent worried about Phorm?

    "Some individuals value their privacy more than others"

    Some pay more money than others. I'm betting Phorm pays a whole lot more than the consumer to the Buy the ICO a Private Island Fund.

  11. 3x2

    Limited Resources

    <...>We will therefore apply our limited resources in ways that deliver the maximum return<...>

    Phorm being one major "source of the disease" surely an application of limited resources here would give "the maximum return"

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    @Mark_T

    Too true, sadly....

  13. amanfromMars Silver badge
    Alien

    To the Tower with the Shower.

    "Who's looking out for the little guy who may be having his data illegally "pimped"?"

    Madame's Pimps that's Who, ..... Suppliers to the Royal Brothel/Harem.

    "Next they may help you avoid personal data loss by telling you not to go online!" .... By Mr Anonymous Posted Wednesday 19th March 2008 12:24 GMT

    It's the only sure way to curtail personal transfer but the Virtual MetaData remains as Purged Redundant Memory.

    If you aint online, you aint Plugged in for Turning On to Tunes Way Out There.

    If you AINT* online, urConnected.

    * Advanced IntelAIgents Net Technology .... a NIRobotIQs Love Child which Grows Wild and Free and Strong.

  14. trackSuit
    Heart

    . . . - - - . . . Call

    The Pump is failing. Data is leaking everywhere -and clogged arteries an' All Gov! AINT IT time 42 Fix-It, Jimmy? Savile Row suits and White Lab coats in a flurry -Hurry!

    Is there a doctor in the House questions? An xxxxAlien SPECialist would be just the Ticket to ride.

    Can LOVE fix this one? Or is a by-pass needed? -Certainly life-support can only be a .tmp file Measure.

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