ICO consultation - Privacy Impact Assessment - data protection register: Difference between revisions

From FOIwiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
No edit summary
No edit summary
Line 14: Line 14:


We would support the register of data controllers being made available as an easily reusable dataset.  The register is public and can already be accessed online anywhere in the world and so there are no significant privacy issues associated with publishing the register in a more accessible format.  It is true that the register includes individuals such as sole traders however the information is about these individuals in a business capacity or other official capacity as oppose to information held in a personal capacity.
We would support the register of data controllers being made available as an easily reusable dataset.  The register is public and can already be accessed online anywhere in the world and so there are no significant privacy issues associated with publishing the register in a more accessible format.  It is true that the register includes individuals such as sole traders however the information is about these individuals in a business capacity or other official capacity as oppose to information held in a personal capacity.
One of the strengths of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 is that it gives people the right to request data in a preferred format and requires public authorities including the ICO to give effect to that preference where it is reasonably practical to do so.

Revision as of 07:55, 21 March 2011


ICO consultation - Privacy Impact Assessment - data protection register "The ICO is required by law to make the register available for inspection and does this via the ICO website. We are currently exploring the possibility of making the register available to be downloaded in its entirety, in a reusable format.

There will be a number of potential benefits from making this data available. For example, opening the data up will allow others to combine, analyse and gain new insights from it. The principles of open data have also been recently set out in the Protection of Freedoms Bill.

However, a number of entries on the register relate to individuals, such as sole traders, and there are therefore data protection considerations. For example, is it fair that data collected for a statutory purpose is made available in a form that could make it more widely available and usable?

We want your views on what the impact on individuals would be if the register was available to download as a dataset, in a re-usable format, in its entirety."


We would support the register of data controllers being made available as an easily reusable dataset. The register is public and can already be accessed online anywhere in the world and so there are no significant privacy issues associated with publishing the register in a more accessible format. It is true that the register includes individuals such as sole traders however the information is about these individuals in a business capacity or other official capacity as oppose to information held in a personal capacity.

One of the strengths of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 is that it gives people the right to request data in a preferred format and requires public authorities including the ICO to give effect to that preference where it is reasonably practical to do so.