Future of Data Protection - RAND to Report to Watchdog

In the UK, privacy watchdog the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has chosen not-for-profit research organisation RAND Europe to carry out an assessment of the future of data protection law in Europe and identify areas for reform.

The ICO believes that European Data Protection law needs to be modernised to meet the technological and social challenges of the 21st century. The research will consider how consumers' rights can be enhanced in a 'rapidly evolving information society' and will provide EU bodies, national governments and the data protection community with proposals for improving regulatory approaches to protecting privacy and personal information.

Richard Thomas, UK Information Commissioner, explained: 'European data protection law is failing to meet new challenges to privacy, such as the transfer of personal details across international borders and the huge growth in personal information online. This research will help identify ways we can make the law more straightforward and more effective in practice, but less burdensome for organisations.'

Thomas added that the European Commission is also undertaking a study of its own, and said that he hopes the UK government will 'engage constructively' in these reviews and support better regulation and practical approaches to international data protection.

RAND Europe, which recently opened an office in Brussels, won the competitive tender against 19 other bids. The study will be made publicly available in Spring 2009.

Following public concern about the tracking of users' online surfing habits, the ICO is monitoring a BT trial of behavioural targeting company Phorm's technology with around 10,000 broadband users who have opted-in to the test.

Web sites: www.ico.gov.uk and www.rand.org .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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