On 9 September, the UK Government published a National Data Strategy which places data at the core of the UK’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The UK Government aims to ensure that companies and organisations can use data to drive digital transformation and innovation and boost growth across the UK economy. This new strategy comes … Read more

In a move that marks a major U-turn for the Government, the UK’s proposals for a centralised contact tracing app have been abandoned in favour of a decentralised model. The new model is based on technology developed by Apple and Google and replaces the original app designed by NHSX, which recently has faced criticism due … Read more

On 17 April 2020, the ICO published an opinion by the Information Commissioner (the “Commissioner”) on Apple and Google’s joint initiative to develop COVID-19 contact tracing technology (the “Opinion”, available here). Summary The Commissioner found the CTF to be aligned with principles of data protection by design and by default. Controllers designing contact tracing apps … Read more

The ICO has published details of its regulatory approach during the ongoing COVID-19 emergency; this is an approach which should reassure entities who are adapting to the economic and practical realities of operating in the current climate, as well as balancing their data protection obligations.  The UK regulator has continued to be reasonable and pragmatic, … Read more

Background The COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in an unprecedented focus on the power of data to assist in resolving national emergencies. From health tracking, to volunteer coordination, to accurately identifying the vulnerable, data is being harnessed in both the public and private sectors to try to help bring COVID-19 under control and mitigate its impact. Read more

The COVID-19 outbreak is proving an interesting time to be a data protection practitioner. There seems to be a new article each day about the next exciting app which promises to use data to help manage the crisis. This post focuses on two particular propositions that pose interesting data protection considerations. It also flags the … Read more

In these unprecedented times, COVID-19 has forced organisations to quickly put in to place measures with the aim of ensuring both business continuity and the protection of employees. In many instances, this has involved increased processing of health data, in ways that were not envisaged a short time ago. Organisations across the globe are also … Read more