UNITED KINGDOM
Consultation on the implementation of Smart Metering
The Government has published a prospectus on the implementation of smart metering across the UK. The proposals include a staged approach to rollout to all homes and businesses. The Government suggests creating a new central entity to coordinate data management and communications in the most cost-effective and secure manner.
Click here for the consultation
Rise in requests by authorities to access confidential data
The annual report of the independent watchdog has indicated that over 525,000 requests to access phone and e-mail records were made by public authorities over the last year. This is an increase up from 504,000 in 2008. The report also highlights errors in applications which have led to innocent people being monitored.
Click here for the Report of the Interception of Communications Commissioner
Tchenguiz & Ors v Imerman - personal data and divorce
In a groundbreaking judgment the Court of Appeal has ruled that the Tchenguiz brothers could not use information about the financial affairs of their sister's husband, Vivian Imerman, at the divorce hearing. The confidential documents were downloaded from a computer in the office Imerman shared with the brothers. The documents must now be returned to Imerman.
Click here for the Court of Appeal decision.
EU
Swift II
On the 13 July 2010, the European Council adopted a decision on the conclusion of the agreement between the EU and the US on the processing and transfer of financial-messaging data from the EU to the US for the purposes of the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program (SWIFT II agreement). The SWIFT II agreement came into force on 1 August 2010.
Click here and here for the Council decision
INTERNATIONAL
Privacy Commissioner launches Go Card review
Queensland privacy commissioner has launched a review of the way police access Go Card passenger records to ensure proper safeguards are in place to surrounding Go Card personal information.
SeCure
SeCure is Addleshaw Goddard's unique, holistic and pragmatic approach to information management for organisations who have suffered an information breach or who may be concerned about their potential exposure. SeCure seeks to minimise risk and the impact of information losses on an organisation's business, through three interdependent approaches, addressing the commercial and legal requirements at each stage of the information management cycle.
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