The Information Commissioner’s New Clothes?

After lobbying the Home Office, the Lord Chancellor, and the Department of Constitutional Affairs, the Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, has announced that the Government has agreed, in principle, that the Commissioner should have more power to inspect public and private bodies’ compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA).

The Commissioner argues that, ‘Many information gathering activities are essential and beneficial to modern life. But balance is needed and there must be limits. No one wants their electronic footprint to expose every aspect of their daily life. Positive action is required to ensure the potential risks do not manifest themselves. Otherwise the trust and confidence which individuals must have in all organisations that hold information about them will be placed in jeopardy.’