Tag: General, Data Protection

Almost any inquisitive person would love to know more about the inner workings of government. However, as a highly unusual tribunal decision showed, unrestrained freedom of information can have a chilling impact on effective policy-making. The day after the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Transparency in official decision-making is the litmus test of a free democracy. The point was powerfully made by the case of a town clerk who became the first person to be successfully prosecuted under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The clerk bore responsibility for

As a primary school discovered to its cost in an unusual High Court case, firing off letters or other communications without first considering the data protection and human rights implications can have grave financial and reputational consequences. The case concerned a 10-year-old girl with Down’s

Data handlers operate under a range of legal responsibilities designed to ensure that personal information is not misused or abused. However, as a High Court ruling in a guideline case made clear, a balance has to be struck between such duties and the public interest

The clear public interest in effectively fighting crime sometimes requires police forces to share personal details of offenders with those at risk of becoming their victims. As a High Court case showed, however, the right of individuals not to have their data disseminated to all