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April 1 2019

UK Data Protection Survey Reveals Mixed Compliance Progress

The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is calling on UK data controllers and processors to be more accountable in the wake of the latest Global Privacy Enforcement Network's (GPEN) annual intelligence gathering operation which looked at “how well organisations have implemented the core concept of accountability into their own internal privacy policies and programmes”.

While the joint report on the 2018 GPEN Sweep suggests a good level of understanding of the concept of accountability, in particular by the 28 organisations that responded to the ICO (as a data protection authority participating in the sweep), the UK regulator echoes the report’s conclusion that “in practice there is significant room for improvement”. Key areas where organisations were found wanting include monitoring internal performance in relation to data protection standards, staff training and complaints handling.