I have what a lot of people would call a blacklist. I call it a blocklist because I can’t shake off the sense that ‘blacklist’ is a racist term. Our language is often coded in ugly ways, and ‘blocklist’ does the job. I maintain a list of people and organisations I...
public servants
ICO DPIAs (part one, published on 24/12/2021)
Framework for auditing AI systemsIntroduction of an IT helpdesk ticketing SaaSCyber EssentialsFee recovery process for non-payment of DP feesEquality, Diversity and Inclusion Audit of the ICO by third partyProcess for ICO marketing emailsICO use of Google...
Pingdemic
On Boxing Day at 12.47pm, millions of people received a badly-written text message. “GET BOOSTED NOW Every adult needs a COVID-19 booster vaccine to protect against Omicron. Get your COVID-19 vaccine or booster. See NHS website for details” The Government confirmed...
Final Destination
I had planned to write a detailed condemnation of Liz Denham’s time in office to coincide with her leaving, examining every twist and turn. For many (especially outside the UK), Denham is the poster girl of data protection, an inspirational figure with the guts to...
An unreasonable opinion
In September, I wrote about the ICO's generous use of the notorious S36 exemption in a request I made. Immediately after Chris Stokel Walker revealed that the ICO had spent £6000+ on chocolate, a group of What Do They Know regulars made some premature requests about...
Problem gambler
We've all been there. You've got some knockoff 'Orwell was right' hokum to please the gambling industry, and a dusty tabloid owned by a media group that makes a lot of money out of bingo and betting have space in amongst the adverts to publish it. Do you really have...
Bitter Chocolate
Just before Christmas 2021, as a thank you gift to 254 staff for their hard work after a challenging year (not my words, but those of the Information Commissioner's Office), someone in the ICO used their corporate credit card to buy them all a box of chocolates from...
Spamalot
This week, the Information Commissioner’s Office significantly changed its policy on direct marketing as it relates to the public sector. ICO now says most messages sent by public sector organisations – even those sent for explicitly promotional purposes – are not...
“I think she will be persuaded”
As surely nobody has forgotten, in April, the Duke of Edinburgh died. Even a committed republican such as myself would have to acknowledge that this is a significant event in UK public life. Government and government-adjacent organisations such as the Information...
The China Syndrome
I don't have an exciting Data Protection origin story. I've heard people talk about coming into DP or FOI to fight for inalienable rights, to battle the evils of surveillance and encroaching government or corporate power. Some people seem to have started work on...