UNITED KINGDOM

Phoneplayplus adjudication ruling

A Phoneplayplus adjudication ruling upheld breaches against Wireless Information Network Ltd and imposed a fine of £50,000. The service provided video content on a website. Users would enter their mobile phone number into the website and receive a text message with a password that enabled the subsequent viewing of videos on the website. Complainants stated that they had received unsolicited chargeable text messages. The Tribunal upheld the complaints relating to legality, pricing information and the subscription initiation message.

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Vetting and barring scheme alerted

Registration with the vetting and barring scheme has been halted to allow the government to review it and remodel it back to "proportionate, common sense levels". The Home Secretary says that a review of the scheme for people who have frequent contact with children or vulnerable adults will ensure a measured approach to protecting vulnerable people. Safeguarding regulations introduced in October 2009 continue to apply.

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EUROPE

Privacy Framework is EDPS top priority for 2010

On 7 June the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) published its priorities and inventory for the next 12 months. A formal opinion on the review of the data protection legal framework is the first priority. The improvements to the current framework which have been suggested include the introduction of an obligation to notify security breaches, increased empowerment of the data subject and introduction of the principles of 'accountability' and 'privacy by design'.

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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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