UK data watchdog plots regulation that cuts shackles of the EU regime
The UK’s data protection watchdog has laid out its three-year strategy to safeguard the information rights and depart from the shackles of the EU’s GDPR framework.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) plan to regulate areas including the privacy of children, discrimination within AI technology, the use of algorithms within the benefits system and predatory marketing calls.
Speaking at the launch this morning, UK Information Commissioner John Edwards said the office would focus on protecting those who are already “disproportionately” impacted, like vulnerable or disadvantaged groups.
The plans, as set out in ICO25, will look to provide better clarity for businesses with data protection, saving firms an estimated £100m across the next three years.
The Data Reform Bill is expected to be put before parliament later this year, hinged on creating a regime that is pro-growth and more business friendly than the European regime.
However, Natalie Cramp, CEO of data science consultancy Profusion, told City PM: “I think energy spent on changing GDPR is the wrong answer – GDPR (with faults or not) is a useful baseline and we work in a global context so the admin of working in different ways across continents takes away more than it gains.
Technology moves faster than the law so the real focus needs to be on educating businesses on data ethics so they can take full advantage of the opportunities data science offers but avoid the disasters like the recruitment algorithms being discussed by operating in the right way. This will build trust, accelerate innovation and results for businesses and minimise negative impacts on people”.