With the advent of the internet, security and privacy concerns have reached a completely different level. New laws and standards have been introduced to keep people safe from online threats. DPA data protection is one such measure. The Data Protection Act (DPA) was introduced in the United Kingdom and it has been developed for protecting the integrity and privacy of data that’s held on individuals by numerous businesses and other organizations nowadays. DPA data protection ensures that people associated with an organization, both employees and customers, can access their data and make corrections, if needed.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) enforces the Data Protection Act (DPA), along with several others. Any business or organization that stores personal information of its employees, clients and other individuals has to comply with the requirements of DPA data protection.
Principles of DPA Data Protection
There are eight principles that are part of DPA data protection and they are essentially the guidelines that dictate best practices to be followed for handling personal data. What are these principles? Let’s take a look:
Personal data should be lawfully and fairly processed
People should be clearly informed about the purpose of data collection. If applicable, they should also be made aware that the collected information may also be sent outside the EEA (European Economic Area). The most common reasons for processing data is that you have the individual’s consent or because you are entering into a contact, such as a contract for sale.
Notify the Information Commissioner
According to DPA data protection, the online process should be used to notify the Information Commissioner that you are using personal data and the purpose should also be mentioned. It is vital to ensure that personal data is used in accordance with the purpose for which it was taken. Data that’s collected for a specific purpose shouldn’t be used for a different one. The best way to cover this is by including all possible purposes from the get-go. Furthermore, the reasons for data collection should be lawful and reasonable.
Personal data should be relevant and adequate and not excessive
Another important principle of DPA data protection is to only collect personal information that’s required and nothing else. Data should not be collected in case it may turn out to be useful later on.
Ensure accuracy of data and keep it up to date
As mentioned above, the rules of the DPA data protection state that individuals should be granted access to their information and they should be allowed to make updates or get it updated. This is also applicable in marketing communications. Nowadays, it has become a very common practice in businesses and organizations to use an opt-in approach when it comes to marketing; people are asked to choose whether they want to receive marketing and promotional material. Likewise, they also allow people to make updates to their personal data outline.
The data shouldn’t kept for longer than required
One of the most important principles that every business should be aware of in regard to DPA data protection is that there should be a retention policy applicable to data. This means that it should only be kept for the period it is required and removed after that because there is a security risk.
The data should be processed according to the rights of its subjects
If individuals forward any requests for their data, it is indicated by DPA data protection that they should get a prompt response. This means that the data should be provided to them within 40 days. A business can decide if they wish to charge for it and how they will get paid. Make sure that tick-in boxes are provided for marketing communications and it should be accurately recorded in the system. There have been lots of complaints where people received marketing emails or calls when they didn’t request them.
Use appropriate organizational and technical measures for protecting data
According to DPA data protection, proper measures need to be taken for keeping data safe. This includes setting up firewalls, storing the data securely and limiting access to authorized individuals for protecting systems from hackers. Data encryption can also be used. An organizational policy should also be established for handling personal and any other sensitive or confidential information. Proper training needs to be provided to the staff.
Personal data shouldn’t be transferred without proper protection
If the data needs to be transferred, within or outside EEA, it shouldn’t be done without taking some precautions. The privacy legislation of the receiving state needs to be checked and consent of the data subject should be obtained. Moreover, you also need to consider if it is necessary to transfer the data, whether there is a contract in place between the business and the receiving organization or it is being sent to another office of the same business.
The DPA data protection is extremely thorough because it is perfectly aware of the risks inherent on the internet and wishes to protect the privacy of individuals. Nonetheless, there are some exemptions that are allowed and these are:
- If the personal data is used for detection or prevention of a crime, there is no need to issue a fair processing notice. Personal data can be disclosed to law enforcement agencies, as long as there is proper formal procedure for ensuring the reasonability of the request.
- Legal matters and proceedings.
- Journalistic exemptions as there are some exemptions that relate to the processing of personal information in the media.
- Vital interests of the subject itself.
Every business or organization, whether it is registered or not, needs to comply with these principles of DPA data protection. In some cases, registration is a must. Even if it is not, getting it done is an assurance to your clientele that your business is willing to do everything to keep your data safe. These measures are helpful in protecting sensitive and confidential data from the different cyber threats that exist in today’s world.
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