Fraud takes many forms nowadays and personal data is in many cases threatened by various types of computer scams but not limited to this. The authorities are aware of the phenomenon and are struggling to protect the data of individuals each day with the help of special programmes, awareness events, measures and even penalties. The Data Protection Act 1998 is a set of laws in UK which, as it says, protects the rights of individuals to private data like name, address, bank accounts, emails offered to institutions or on different websites.
Penalties for criminals who breach the Data Protection Act 1998
Everyone has the right to privacy, but considering the fast development of the internet and technology, there are cases in which individuals do not feel the same anymore when thinking of personal data. Financial institutions worldwide, public organizations, or online shops need private data before closing any deal (a bank account, a name and so on), but such information is offered under certain terms and conditions agreed by both parties. In the UK, it is strictly forbidden to disclose private information to a third party on the market, for money or any other gains. It is good to know that if personal data has been used for other purposes than the ones mentioned in a signed and approved contract, persons accused of such fraud can face imprisonment, penalties or both. Companies in UK involved in accusations of disclosing private information may be entitled to pay at least 2%of their annual global turnover. A breach of security data will definitely be analyzed before making a decision, but in such cases, it is suggested to ask for the legal support offered by a criminal solicitor in London.
What happens when privacy is disclosed in UK
The Information Commissioner’s Office in UK is in charge of imposing penalties as soon as a breach of private information has been revealed. In this sense, all the grounds must be attentively measured, like the nature of the infringement, the type of private data involved, if there were any previous infringements and if the company adopted measures to moderate the conflict with the affected persons. The ICO will then deliberate the penalties for cases where personal data has been breached.
On the other hand, individuals who have discovered that their private information has been disclosed have the right to solicit a lawyer, ask for legal support and rights explanations.
We remind that the Data Protection Act 1998 comprises offences like selling private data by institutions, using such data for personal gains, or offering this information without consent which are forbidden and for which offenders can be sentenced or fined.
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