Upcoming Events :
Housing Seminar: Partnerships with the Public Sector – Avoiding the pitfalls
Thu 31 May 2012
Minerva House, 5 Montague Close, London, SE1 9BB
ICO publishes data sharing guidelines
Thu 12 May 2011
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has published a code of practice for any organisation that shares personal information.
This guidance has been drawn up to ensure sensitive data is handled appropriately and securely whenever it is being shared with other bodies.
According to the ICO, this should help to reduce the likelihood of public and private sector groups breaching the law and facing enforcement action later on.
Christopher Graham, the information commissioner, has called on businesses to "get to grips with the code without delay" to ensure they are complying in full.
He accepted the view that data sharing can help public and private sector organisations enable consumers to benefit from a more efficient service.
However, he said members of the public want to be sure their information is safe, which means state-run bodies and commercial businesses cannot use their personal details "just as they see fit".
James Oxley, solicitor at Winckworth Sherwood, commented: "This guidance has been designed for both public and private sector organisations and provides a useful point of reference for all data controllers when considering the sharing of personal data.
"The guidance has many good practice recommendations, but it is important for all organisations to ensure that these recommendations are actually translated into everyday working practices.
"Winckworth Sherwood advises many organisations on all areas of data protection, including developing policies and their effective implementation."
This comes after Mr Graham suggested that the growth of data sharing and the increased take-up of the internet in recent years have made staying anonymous very difficult.
