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What price private data?
Government needs to dig deeper...

By editorial@silicon.com

Published: Thursday 11 July 2002

When it comes to the protection of our private data, the going doesn't look too good.

The Data Protection Commission (DPC), which is supposed to protect the public from the misuse of personal data, has just revealed it only made 66 prosecutions over the last year. This, from a regulator that has a budget of £8m a year.

On one hand, the Home Office has tried to extend the number of organisations that have surveillance powers and re-introduce the identity card debate. On the other, the organisation that should ensure personal data is not abused is so far losing the battle.

The sum of this is that the well-being of personal data is still very much hanging in the balance.

And outgoing information commissioner Elizabeth France has just added fuel to the fire with a scathing attack on the government's stance.

She today warned that law enforcement agencies have been handed too much power to intrude on personal data in the wake of the terrorist attacks of 11 September. Much of this power, she claims will do nothing to prevent terrorism.

But if the law enforcement agencies aren't doing anything more to crack down on terrorism, her organisation is equally at fault.

Complaints to the DPC were up 50 per cent last year to more than 12,000. Yet the commission prosecuted only 66 companies - leading to just 33 convictions.

While £8m might sound like a lot of money, it clearly isn't enough. And when France is replaced in the Autumn here's hoping the new commissioner will raise the profile and the status of the Data Protection Act and ensure private data remains gets the protection it deserves.