New research from the Internet Advertising Bureau, the UK industry body for digital marketing, and business law firm Olswang confirms that consumers need more information and education about online privacy and online behavioral advertising (OBA).

Published: Oct 2009 in Data Strategy Magazine - Author: Tim Beadle, Atrium Group

In January, the Data Protection Act 1998 will have been in force for ten years (although passed in 1998, it didn’t become active until 1st January 2000). But a recent study of leading e-commece sites in the UK suggests that this law is observed more in breach than in compliance. Out of the UK’s 50 top sites, not one fully complies with the Information Commissioner’s Office best practice guidelines and the majority breach either the Act or the Privacy and Electronic Communication Regulations (PECR) 2003. Should we direct marketers care?

Speaking at last week’s Annual Privacy conference in London, Chris Graham, the new UK Information Commissioner, made it clear that he was going after companies that do not comply with UK privacy laws. In his first public speech since becoming Information Commissioner Graham made it clear that he would be “naming and shaming” companies that fail to comply with the Law. He pointed out that data privacy and information security are now “top of the media agenda”.

Presentation to the 6th Privacy and Data Protection Conference, London July 7th 2009

You can download the full presentation as a .pdf by clicking on the link below. If you would like more information regarding this presentation, please contact Tim Beadle, his email address is on the presentation. Click here to download the presentation now.

BT is facing an investigation by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) over allegations that its trials of the targeted online advertising system  from Phorm contravened privacy laws.

The CPS is investigating whether tests of the Phorm service by BT in 2006 and 2007, where BT did not ask customers' permission before running the tests, broke  the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA), which prohibits the interception of online data without consent.

Organisations that lose data face cash fines, tougher inspections and even jail, under new proposals from Jack Straw to strengthen the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) come into force.